


Best Served Cold

by DLoss



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Humiliation, I'm Going to Hell, I'm Sorry, M/M, Max is 16, My First AO3 Post, Non-Consensual Blow Jobs, Not that that's better, Orgasm Delay, Past Child Abuse, Post-Series, Rape, Watersports
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-05 20:43:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11585832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DLoss/pseuds/DLoss
Summary: Camp Campbell was almost six years ago. Max has mixed memories from the experience.But he's in high school now. He's doing okay. He remembers all the good times he had as a kid.He also remembers nearly being killed by a crazy cultist.Who apparently they let out of prison.TW: This fic contains the rape of an underage boy and Implied/mentioned past child abuse. Proceed with caution.





	1. Electricity should be a right

**Author's Note:**

> I love Camp Camp and I'm so sorry. This wasn't meant to be the first Fic I put up, but it sort of came out of nowhere and was 7000 words before I knew it. 
> 
> Heed the warnings. First couple of chapters aren't explicit, but it gets much more so.
> 
> First time posting, so feedback is much appreciated. 
> 
> Nastiness will be met with Max level sarcasm and indifference.

# Best Served Cold

## 

### Electricity Should Be a Right

Max frowned when his phone beeped and clicked away the warning that flashed up on the screen informing him his battery was at 10%.

“Forgot to charge again?” Neil asked from next to him, leaning against the bus window to scrawl his mathematics work into his book. 

“Dianne took my charger.” Max shrugged. “She keeps leaving them at work. Apparently.” He added, lowering his voice slightly.

Neil made a non-committal noise of disapproval and Max glanced at the boy.

Four years ago Max had found himself dumped in a new foster home and Neil, who he’d stayed in touch with after their nightmare of a summer camp, going to the same high school. Neil still had unruly brown hair and looked like he was more interested in the maths in his book than the people around him.

He was also one of the few friends Max had managed to hold on to that wasn’t hip deep in drugs and petty theft.

“That’s not due until next week.” Max pointed out of his homework.

Neil turned and rolled his eyes at him. 

“And you think you’re gonna do it this weekend? We’re going hiking with Nikki, remember?” He reminded him. Max groaned and went back to his puzzle game.

“I just bought this hoodie.” He muttered.

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. Again.” Neil said. “You know it’s nearly summer, right?”

“Last time it was bears.” Max went on, ignoring his friends attempted intervention. “This time its bigfoot. And we’ll end up in a ravine, being chased by rabid wolves. Or worse, creeps.” 

“That was one time.” Neil dismissed.

“Yeah! And it was traumatising.” Max pointed out. “I tell you, if the American health system didn’t rely on being tent poled by overpriced drugs and rich white people and the system actually supported the lower area of the socio-economic spectrum and funded publicly accessible mental health support, I’d be in therapy right now.” He finished the level on his phone with a smile and it sang at him as he progressed.

He almost heard Neil roll his eyes.

“No, you wouldn’t.” He challenged. “Because you’re a stubborn dick.” 

Max shrugged and glanced up to see his stop approaching.

“Well, at least email me your homework when you’re done.” Max said, shoving his phone in his pocket and standing as the bus slowed. 

“No.” Neil replied absently.

“Dammit.” Max growled. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Neil nodded, waving without looking at him. “Charge your phone!”

 

The walk home was short, the small unit he lived in with his foster mother was set back off a side street. The yard in front of it both overgrown and still dying. Max sighed as soon as he realised the door was locked. Dianne had picked up an extra shift, then. Which meant he was one his own until tomorrow morning. 

He unlocked the door and was both frustrated and un-surprised that the lights didn’t come on when he flicked the switch. 

“Why isn’t power a right?” He muttered to himself, locking the door behind him and looking at the microwave to confirm the power was out by its lack of time. “Dammit.”

Dianne usually paid the bills on time. But Max had needed stitches a few weeks ago and he had no doubt they hadn’t been cheap. He sent a quick text to Neil asking them to bring a spare charger to school tomorrow before his phone rang in his hand.

Dannielle. His social worker.

“Hi Danny.” He said, making sure the fridge was shut so the food stayed ok. “What’s up?”

“Just checking in, Max, everything ok?” She said, almost absently. She sounded busy, but probably because she was always busy. 

Max glanced around at the dimly lit house. He could tell her about the power, get Dianne reviewed for her ability to support him. Dianne wasn’t perfect. But… she was also pretty good. She gave Max space and trusted him. Came to his school events and listened when he spoke. She picked up extra shifts that she wouldn’t have to if she weren’t also feeding a growing sixteen-year-old. 

And she had never screamed at, insulted or hit him. 

“Everything’s good.” Max told his social worker. “Dianne picked up an extra shift, though, so microwave meal for me tonight.”

“Good to hear Max, I’m sorry we haven’t spoken in so long.” She added. “But the reason I called is that I had a request come through today for your address.”

“Oh?” Max frowned. Who would want his address? She knew that he never wanted to see his actual parents again and he didn’t really have much other family. “Who?”

“Oh, well, he’s a friend actually.” Dannielle admitted. “He’s new to town and we figured out he was a counsellor at your old summer camp! He remembers you so fondly and thought it would be nice to catch up.”

Max raised an eyebrow as he sunk into the couch. The moment of silence must have made Dannielle rethink.

“You can just meet him somewhere, though. Get some food.” She suggested. “It’s up to you.”

“No, it’s okay. Let me guess: he’s lanky, tall with fluffed hair?” He asked. “Happier than anyone has any right to be? Sweet to the point of obnoxious?” 

Dannielle chuckled.

“I see you remember him.” She laughed. “He remembers you very fondly. Says you used to have quite a mouth.”

“Used to?” Max asked, almost offended.

“Well. You know what I mean.” Dannielle laughed again. “So, want to catch up?”

“Sure.” Max agreed. It would be nice to have a ray of sunshine for a while. Even if he recalled David being annoying as fuck. “Tell him to call me, but I’m going to be away this weekend.” 

“I’ll let him know.” Dannielle agreed. “As always, call me if you need anything Max.”

“Thank you, Danny.” Max replied as usual. “Have a good day. Bye.”

“Bye, hon.” 

Max hung up and went to text Neil and Nikki about David visiting, warning them that he wouldn’t likely be a little surlier to counteract David’s ridiculously happy nature, but his phone died in his hand. 

With the power out he was left in the dim house, with nothing to entertain him except his homework.  
“Fuck.” He said to himself. 

 

By the time Max had finished his homework and had a sandwich for dinner it was dark. 

The shower wasn’t working so he’d used some baby wipes to remove the grime of the day and, since it was still warm in the house, threw on shorts and a t-shirt and made himself comfortable.

He lit the house with a few candles and relaxed into the couch with a torch and a horror novel from Dianne’s room. He had long learned to avoid the novels with burly men and hot women on the front of them. 

So, when someone knocked on the door Max jumped on the couch and swore under his breath. 

Not scared, of course, just surprised. 

He marked the book by folding the corner of the page, something Dianne hated, and rolled out from under the blanket. The tiles were cool on his feet and he opened the door.

He froze.

The front yard was illuminated by the street light. Max had expected to see one of his neighbours, asking after Dianne’s nursing advice, or one of the neighbourhood kids, looking for their ball or a dog.

But it wasn’t. 

He instantly realised his mistake, cold wire twisting into his stomach from a sudden, alien fear.

“Well! Hello there, Max.” Daniel said from the door frame. 


	2. Resistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max remembers why Daniel terrified him at ten.

Daniel was standing at his door.

The cultist who had tried to kill him and his fellow campers was lit up by the yellow street light. Wearing a white shirt and normal jeans. His shocking blonde hair a little longer now, his shirt a little more filled out with muscle and his face a little more burdened.

Max’s immediate reaction of smart assed commentary and abuse failed him as he opened his mouth to respond. His next reaction was to try and slam the door in the man’s face.

The door stuck halfway closed as it hit Daniels boot and the man shoved it open again with all the force he could muster. Max was sent backwards to the floor, crying out in surprise, hitting his chest and shoulders on the tiles.

Max groaned in pain, trying to get air back into his lungs and get back up off the floor. The sound of the door shutting and locking motivated him to sit up, shaking his vision clear.

He scrambled to roll to his feet, as Daniel approached, try to make it to a phone. He made it up and a step down the hallway before a strong hand grabbed his upper arm and spun him.

Daniel slammed him into the wall, pressing his forearm into his throat and knee roughly between his legs to keep Max still and awkwardly helpless.

It might have been six years, sure. Max had grown up when puberty hit him like a truck. He was taller, only a couple of inches smaller than Daniel now, and he was lean – mostly from running for his life on Nikki’s nature adventures – but Daniel was still heavier and, it felt like, much stronger than him. Max felt suddenly very tiny. Small and weak in a way he hadn’t since they’d taken him from his last foster home.

Max went to speak, either to start hurling expletives or calling for help (he still wasn’t sure which) and Daniel pushed his free hand over his mouth, pressing his head firmly into the wall. A picture frame was jutting into his shoulder blade and hurting like hell.

But Max had bigger things to be worrying about. He was left still and in silence, trying to wriggle free of Daniels grip and, for the longest of moments, Daniel just smiled at him. His icy blue eyes boring into Max’s brown like he was trying to get into his soul.

“Nice to see you again Max.” Daniel said softly. Max let out a terrified huff of air through his nose. God his heart was beating so fast it hurt. He could feel the fear stabbing into his bones and _fuck._

He was so fucked.

Daniel was going to fucking kill him.

“Can you imagine how happy I was to hear that fat bitch from child services had gotten your address for me?” He asked, his voice low and chilling and _fuck how had Max fucked this up_? “And she mentioned I shouldn’t call tonight because you were here alone.” He smiled like he was a cat toying with a mouse. “Lucky me, right, Max?”

Max could only stare at the older man and try to remember how to breathe. He tried to pull free of Daniels grip, but failed in the effort.

“I spent a few long years in prison, Max.” Daniel went on. “Thinking about how I’d fucked it all up at Camp Campbell. David was perfectly stupid. The kids are always easily persuaded; but _you._ ” His voice morphed into a snarl. “ _You_. You were just smart and manipulative enough to fuck it all up.”

Max wanted to say something scathing about Daniel forgetting he’d poisoned the kool-aid he’d taken a smug swig from; while song-kicking David’s ass. But he opted for silence. Both out of fear and the fact that Daniels hand was going to leave a bruise on his face.

“You have any idea what prison is like Max?” He asked venomously.

Max stared at him, still unable to move or speak.

“Before I made some friends, before I learned how to fight, Max. Do you have any idea what life was like for me?” Daniel leaned in even closer.

So close that Max could feel the heat of his breath against his cheek. He smelled like sweat and alcohol.

“Well, maybe you do. The dumbass Dannielle told me quite a bit about your background. Quite liberal after a few drinks.” He admitted. Max felt frozen in shock and surprise suddenly. Shame thrumming under his fear. Anger in the corner of his mind. He felt overwhelmed… Dannielle would never tell anyone what-

“All about your father, what he did. Maybe he told you what prison was like, hmmm? Or your foster parents? Did they give you a good idea?”

Max realised he was shaking. He realised there were tears in his eyes.

He had felt small and terrified before.

Now he just felt helpless.

Daniel lowered his voice even more, barely above a whisper.

“As I’m sure you can imagine, Max, I’m armed.” Daniel breathed. Max took a few quick breaths in panic, trying to force himself calm. “You’re a smart kid,” he added, “so when I let go of your mouth… Well, you can figure it out.”

Max was a smart kid. He knew exactly what Daniel would do if he yelled for help. But yelling wasn’t even the smartest idea. If he co-operated and let Daniel make the smallest mistake…

“Am I understood, Max?” Daniel asked. Max nodded as much as he could.  
“Good boy.” The man practically purred and peeled his hand off the boys’ mouth. Max pulled his face away slightly, taking in a few deeps breaths through his mouth and shaking his head a little.

Daniel pulled a knife from his pocket, flicking it open and making Max jolt in surprise. Max’s breath stopped in his throat as the knife rested lightly on his cheek.

“Play this smart, Max, and you’ll get out of this alive.” Daniel told him softly. “Be stupid and I make a call to a friend and I’m sure your dad would love to come and see you.”

_Christ_. Max felt like every cell in his body was shaking with terror. From Daniel, from the threat of the knife and from the idea of his father walking through the door as well. He shook his head slightly, trying to assure the man he was going to behave.

Until he saw a definite way out.

Then Daniels weight was gone, letting him slip down the wall and stumble at the loss of the support. His shoulder on fire from the corner of the frame and his head spinning with fear and panic. By the time he looked up Daniel had picked up a sports bag Max hadn’t noticed was with him and hooked it over his shoulder.

Max opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the man grabbing a handful of his black curls and dragging him down the hall into the living room. Max made a strangled noise of pain and quickly followed the man to stop his hair from being pulled from his scalp.

They paused next to the couch.

The tiled floor had felt cool only moments ago, now it felt cold and foreign. The dim candlelight had felt adequate, now it felt dark and ominous. He heard Daniel chuckle.

“No power?” He asked brightly. “Max, I almost feel like you knew I was coming.”

He grabbed two of the candles from one of the tables, never once letting go of Max’s hair, holding him at an awkward angle, and then dragged him across the room to the open door labelled;

Max’s Room: Warning Contains Sarcasm.

Max suddenly hated that sign.

Daniel shoved Max against his own chest of drawers, sending him stumbling to the floor and scrambling to find his feet again.

He watched the older man push the door shut and drop the bag. He set one of the somehow still lit candles on Max’s desk, and the other on the drawers next to him. Max rounded away as he approached, stopping next to his small single bed.

He finally found his tongue.

“What the fuck do you want?” He asked, not sounding as angry as he’d hoped. Daniel folded his knife back into his pocket.

“What do I want?” He echoed. “Well, Max, you’re the smart one, right? I spent five years in jail for whatever _fucking bullshit_ they made up for me after you fucked me over, then immediately after I got paroled I came to find you.” He tiled his head slightly, meeting Max’s gaze expectantly.

“What the fuck do _you_ think I want, Max?” He demanded, taking a few steps forward. Max resisted the urge to back away or sit on his bed. He was still shaking, but some of his anger was returning now that he had a voice.

“For Zemoog or whoever the fuck you think rules the universe to save your ass?” Max snarled before his brain let him considered that statement.

Daniel hit him. Hard. Back handing Max across the face so hard that Max staggered back, dazed for a second, and then shoved him in the chest, sending him onto his bed. Max put a hand against his burning cheek and looked at Daniel, standing over him so close Max doubted he’d let him stand up again.

“Watch your mouth, you ungrateful little shit.” Daniel warned. He reached down and grabbed the front of Max’s tee and pulled him up as the man leaned down so they were face to face. “I tried to save you from a life of misery, and you replayed me with years of incarceration and brutality.”

Max stared at him.

“I feel compelled to point out that I’m not responsible for arresting-”

“Silence!” Daniel snarled, shoving him into the bed once again. “Look at this.” He gestured around him. “You deserve this life.” He snarled. “You aren’t worthy of ascension anymore. You know what that means, Max?”

Max leaned back onto his hand to give himself more space between himself at Daniel, whose blazing eye contact felt three times more intense than it had only moments ago.

“That we’re going to the same hell?” Max asked, voice shaking despite the comfort of snide remarks.

“I’m not going to hell, Max.” Daniel assured him. “I’ve done nothing but serve the ancient ones loyally. No, Max,” fuck it was creepy the way he kept saying his name, “it means I get to do whatever I want to you, and it will still be in service to the ancient ones.” Daniel glanced him up and down.

Max’s stomach filled with lead and, in less than a second, he gained a complete understanding of what was happening here. His patience snapped and, in a blind panic, he lashed out his foot.

His bare foot connected with Daniels chest, sending the man a few paces backwards. Not hard enough to hurt him, but enough to get space for Max to get to his feet.

He sprinted for the door, almost slipping on one of his shirts on the carpet.

“You little _fuck_.” Daniel snarled.

Max knew he was coming, so didn’t bother checking behind him as he sprinted across the living room towards the front door. His heart so loud in his ears he could barely hear his own panicked and desperate thoughts.

Something snagged in the back of his shirt, a tearing noise in the room, and Max lost his balance as it jolted him to a stop. He went backwards to the floor, already trying to scramble to his feet. He turned to find Daniel in front of him and his instant reaction was to shout. But before he could make a sound a fist crashed into his jaw and sent him sideways into the coffee table.

Max smashed into it, hitting the floor with a snarled grunt of pain, hearing Daniel behind him swearing at him. He rolled, barely able to focus on the man before a boot landed square in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is proper explicit. 
> 
> Proceed with caution. 
> 
> See you in the hell I'm going to after this!


	3. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max meets with the very real situation he's in. 
> 
> Won't someone rescue this poor child?

Max was in pain. He couldn’t breathe and his lungs burned for air. He blinked, blackness evaporating from his sight.  
The tiles were cold on his back. He could taste blood. The side of his face ached.  
Daniel knelt over him and before Max could move was sitting on his chest, one hand pressing his throat to the ground and the other hand flicking his knife open.

“Fuck!” Max snarled as the blade flashed out and he felt a burning sensation across his cheek. The one that wasn’t aching as much. It stung like hell and Max could feel tears in his eyes, this time starting to fall. He felt hot all over his body; exhausted from fear, he looked up at Daniel.  
Silence for a long moment as Max stared up at his captor, terrified of what he wanted to do. Daniel smiled.

“Nothing to say, Max?” He asked gently. “Where’s the bad language gone, buddy?”  
Silence.  
“I thought so.” Daniel nodded. “Now, we’re going to get up. And we’re going to walk back to your room. And you’re going to be a _good boy_ for me, aren’t you?”  
Max stared at him. He wanted to scream for help, he wanted to beg Daniel to leave him alone. He wanted to say yes and run as soon as he could. Instead what came out was;  
“Fuck you, Cultist.” It was almost whispered and broken. But it was defiance and it fueled the anger in Max’s mind as he calmed from his panic.

Daniel narrowed his eyes and nodded. He slipped away his knife and then had two hands around Max’s neck.  
Max felt his head get hot, like the pressure behind his eyes increased. He couldn’t breathe.  
He made a snarl like he was trying to scream, kicking at the floor and trying to hit Daniels arms free.

 

What felt like seconds later Max was being half carried, half dragged across his bedroom. He felt heavy. Pins and needles spun across his skin, heated like he was being touched by the sun. He slumped onto something soft. His bed, his legs were lifted up onto it.

“What?” He managed, pain thrumming through his face and neck and chest. He tried to move but his limbs were heavy. Movement next to him.  
What was…  
Max remembered with a jolt, trying to sit up, but couldn’t. He tried to yell before someone was over him – _Daniel it must be_ – and whispering _“Shhh…”_ into his ear. Max shook his head, trying to roll away, but had no strength yet.

Daniel pulled one of his wrists above his head and Max only made the connection when he felt leather snap firm as Daniel pulled it through the buckle. He twisted on the bed, trying to pull his other hand under him for safety.  
Daniel was much stronger than him, even when he wasn’t half conscious, so the other hand followed soon after that.  
By the time Max felt strength returning to his limbs he was shackled to his own iron bed frame that Dianne had bought him at a garage sale.

Dianne who wouldn’t be home until tomorrow morning.

Max had no idea what time it was.

Then he realised Daniel was pulling his white polo off. Max’s heart sank even further while simultaneously beating in his throat. Max twisted over and looked at the cuffs. Buckled and locked. He needed his pick, which was in his hoodie…  
Daniel turned to toss his shirt to the floor and Max stared at his back. Long scars running from his shoulders to opposite hips, or horizontal across his ribs. Daniel picked up the bag, tossed it by the bed and moved back towards him.

“Not going to scream for me, Max?” He asked, almost sounding sweet. Rational.  
Max tried to take a steadying breath.

“Double brick.” He nodded at the wall, his voice shaking. “Next door is empty.”  
The smile on Daniels face was terrifying.

“Good, so I don’t have to gag you.” He concluded.

“Gag…” Max shook his head and stared at his pillow. He felt trapped. Alone. Helpless. He didn’t know what to do.  
“Please.” He whispered. _Someone help me._  
“Please, what, Max?” Daniel asked, his weight pressing into the bed.  
“Don’t… Don’t do this.” He managed. Tears mixing with the blood dripping down his cheek. He jolted at the hand that pressed into the back of his neck.  
“It’s already occurred, Max.” Daniel assured him gently. “Just let this happen. Learn your lesson.”

The flick of the knife made Max try to twist and roll away, but the hand pressed down firmly, trapping him onto the bed. He felt cold steel against his shoulder and it sliced downward, material tearing feeling like the loudest thing Max had ever heard.  
Two cuts later and some pulling and Daniel had torn Max’s tee off his chest. Daniels weight vanished for a second and Max was fool enough to take a breath before he felt strong fingers dig into the waistband of his boxers.

“No!” he snarled, dragging his knees up to try and stop them from coming down. A mixture of a hand in the small of his back and Daniel’s speed left him the loser though, and then he was naked on the bed.  
It had been a while since Max had cried. He hated the hot tears that came. Once his boxers were gone he went still, limp. There was nowhere for him to go. No-one was coming to help him.  
_Please_. He prayed. _Fucking anyone would do right now._

Max tensed and jerked in surprise when Daniels rough, strong hand ran from his shoulder blade down his back. He stayed silent and still. He wanted to shout. He wanted to hurl insults, but fear clamped his jaw shut. He shook his head slightly as Daniels hand rested on his ass, squeezing slightly.  
“On your knees, Max.” Daniel told him. Max shook his head into his pillow. Daniel chuckled. His weight dipped into the bed again and Max swore when he felt a denim covered knee pressing between his thighs. He almost instinctively spread his legs a little so Daniel didn’t hurt him. He regretted it. Daniel pressed the knee upward, towards his groin, and Max reacted almost instantly by raising his hips.  
“No!” He snarled, trying to lift and roll onto his side, away from Daniel slightly. Daniel pressed a hand into the back of his smaller leg, just at the base of his thigh, and pushed upwards.

“ _Fucking Christ_!” Max swore, suddenly up on one knee, his ass in the air and the other knee following suit for support. He shook his head firmly. This couldn’t be happening. “ _Please._ ” He breathed.  
“A little late to be asking for mercy, Max.” Daniel pointed out, moving behind him, one knee hooking over the top of his calf, thigh pressed against the back of Max’s thigh so that Daniel was knelt side on to Max.  
“Five years I spent in prison, Max.” Daniel said, Max refused to look at him, he was busy trying to remember how to breathe, trying to reconnect with God. If the asshole existed he would get him out of this. Police would come through the door. “What do you think is a fair number?”

Silence for a moment.

“Twenty-five to life?” Max suggested, having no idea what he was talking about. Daniel chuckled.  
“Five for each year. You’re right, that is fair.”  
Max frowned, confused until Daniels hand landed on his ass, pain shooting through his skin and reverberating up his back. A loud _smack_ echoing around his small room.

“Fuck!” Max swore in surprise, jolting forward a little in pain and surprise.  
“Language, Max.” Daniel admonished. Max lifted his head to tell him to suck a dick before he hit the other cheek, just as hard.  
“Two down.” Daniel almost sang.

Shit.


	4. Breaking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer Chapter. 
> 
> I'm so sorry.

Max had lost count of the blows.   
His pillow under his face was soaked with tears, a small spot of blood from his cheek had dried, it seemed to have stopped bleeding. He swore again as Daniels hand landed on his raw ass once again. He breathed, sucked in air.

He was exhausted. In pain.

He wanted this to stop.

Daniel’s weight left the side of him and for a second Max couldn’t comprehend what that meant.

“Well done, Max.” Daniel said, moving around behind him. Max sank down a little, lowering his hips to the bed. The skin of his ass burning. “I added five on for the language, but that seems fair don’t you think?”

Max didn’t reply, he took a long, shaking breath and glanced up. Daniel was shucking his jeans and boxer briefs.

Max, stunned into action, recoiled at the idea that brought. He snarled something unintelligible even to him and rolled and pushed himself until his back hit the wall, his hands still awkwardly locked to the top of the bed. Daniel laughed.

“Stop!” Max said, meaning to be demanded but coming out pleading. “Please!”

Daniel shook his head.

“No, Max.” He replied, reaching out and grabbing at Max’s kicking ankles. Daniel hauled him back towards him, pulling him onto his back and was between the teenager’s legs in an instant. Max tried to pull back, tried to kick at him, snarled at him. Getting louder and louder.

Then there was a hand at his throat again, bruised already and Max went silent and still as Daniel pressed his weight into him. His blue eyes blazing with anger.

“Shut the fuck up, Max.” He warned. He moved and Max felt the mans thighs against the back of his own and felt the brush of… Max shook his head, looking at the ceiling.

“No, you don’t.” Daniel snarled, lifting his hand from his throat and grabbed a handful of Max’s curly hair. He pulled, straining Max’s neck, and pressed his hips up against him hard. With his free hand Daniel reached down and stroked his own pale cock.

“Look at me, Max.” Daniel ordered. Max was glad to divert his eyes from the hard, pale cock now resting against his dark skin. But regretted it when he met Daniels sharp expression. A mix of joy, dominance and lust. “I’m going to put this inside you.” Max tried to shake his head but couldn’t in this position. “And you’re going to _fucking love it._ ”

He let go of Max’s hair and his head dropped back to the bed.

“No.” Max replied softly.

“You don’t get a choice, Max.” Daniel told him. Max almost jumped off the bed when he felt the man’s hand wrap around his cock.

 _Damn these teenage hormones_. Max growled to himself. His cock instantly responding to contact and friction by getting interested. He pressed his head into his bed, closing his eyes and trying to think of something else, _anything else_.

“Who do you normally think about?” Daniel asked, his somehow gentle voice invading Max’s thoughts. “Hmmm? Boys, girls?”

Max ignored him. Shook his head, groaned as Daniel squeezed down on his cock.

“Answer the question, Max. I can make this hurt a lot more.” Daniel warned. Max relented.

“Both.” He replied, even his voice shaking. Daniel chuckled.

“Greedy. I’m not surprised.”

Max pressed one of his feet into the bed and pushed his hips upward into Daniels hand. Max could feel his pleasure building in his abdomen. The man moved slightly and Max felt something pressing against the underside of his shaft. He glanced up, concerned.

Daniel pressed their hard cocks together with an evil smile and carried on stroking the teen up and down, rubbing against him. Max could feel Daniels testicles touching him, his skin suddenly alight with sensation.

Max made a noise that he planned on never telling anyone about, closing his eyes again.

“Good boy.” Daniel whispered. It felt like he leaned back for something and the hand job stopped. Max was simultaneously relieved and frustrated. Then he felt metal against the base of his cock. Remembering the knife he jolted, trying to pull himself away and kick Daniel in the face before the man trapped his hips to the bed with his hands. The metal feeling was still there, his cock pulsing with need.

“What the fu-” Max breathed, looking down. There was a ring of metal around the base of his dick. It felt too tight.

“Never seen one before, Max?” Daniel asked. “It’s called a cock ring. It delays orgasm.”

Max stared at him. He felt his face crease with concern.

“You don’t get to come until you ask, Max.” Daniel explained, leaning down over him, their groins pressing together. “Until you beg me to shove my cock inside you,” their faces where an inch apart now, “and let you come.”

Max blinked away tears and tried to rally his ever-present attitude.

“Not going to happen, asshole.” Max promised.

“We’ll see, Max.” Daniel smiled serenely. “I’ve been planning this for a while, remember?”

“Great, so a paedophile as well as a rapist.” Max snarled.

Daniel slapped him again, a little less effective from this angle, but his face had already taken a few hits. Max breathed through his teeth in pain.

“A gag it is.” Daniel growled. He stood, pulled a few more things Max couldn’t see out of the bag and dumped them on the bed.

Then he was holding a bar of leather, straps on either side, and pressing into Max’s mouth while the teenager tried to stop him, trying to thrash away. Nevertheless, he got the gag tight around Max’s head, holding his teeth apart but still somehow blocking his mouth. Max growled, twisting and trying to push it off with his shoulder. Then Daniels weight was back between his legs, pushing one leg up off the bed until it was uncomfortably stretched.

Max’s breathing through the gag became awkward and laboured. Uncomfortable as he felt himself already starting to drool.

Max felt fingers against his anus and his body jolted and froze. He didn’t dare look.

They were warm and slick with lubricant and Max didn’t want to know if Daniel was watching him for his reaction or if he was focussed on what he was doing. He chose a spot on the ceiling to stare at.

Max’s erection was starting to ache, blood pooling under the ring and making the desire to come even worse.

He made a whine of discomfort as Daniel pressed a finger against his tight ring of muscle. He shook his head but that didn’t stop the cult leader from pressing the finger inside him.

It didn’t hurt; but it was uncomfortable. Max stared at the spot on the ceiling and tried to focus on relaxing his muscles. On staying still and limp and just letting this be over.

Daniel, apparently in a rush, pressed a second finger against the first almost immediately. This hurt a little more. Max’s body tensed and arched of its own accord.

“Relax, Max. You know this.” Daniel told him. “You’re a smart boy, right?”

He said it like an insult. Max bit down on the gag.

Daniel pressed his fingers inside gently, pressing forward and then pausing, like he was looking for something.

Then a spark of pleasure rippled up Max’s back and into his cock, his body arching for a whole different reason. He made a moaning noise through his gag and felt his cock pulse even harder.

For a second he was breathless.

“Good boy.” Daniel muttered, pressing a third finger in. Max shook his head. He wasn’t ready. But Daniel didn’t care.

Max growled at the discomfort and sting, twisting slightly. Daniel shoved in firmly, moving his hand to hit the sweet spot every time as he pulled away and fucked Max’s hole with his hand.

Max wanted him to stop.

He also really needed to cum.

He groaned through the gag he was biting on, the pain lessening a little as his muscles relaxed. He found himself pressing his hips up into Daniels hand, trying to increase the pressure and friction. He heard himself moan, could feel pre-cum start to drip down his cock.

“Good boy.” He heard Daniel say, somewhere in the distance.

Then he stopped and withdrew his hand and Max was breathing though his nose, groaning from the loss of contact.

“Look at me, Max.” Daniel coached. Max opening his eyes, not even remembering when he’d closed them. He shook his head.

Then there was a hand in his hair, pulling his head forward again, pain snarling up him neck. Daniel had something in his hand. Max could guess; but stared, wide eyed at Daniel instead.

 _What the fuck_. He took a shaking breath and shook his head slightly. Daniel let his hair go.

“Unless you want my cock instead?” Daniel asked. He ran a hand along his hip and then stroked the teens cock a few times. Max groaned.

Then he shook his head. He wouldn’t give Daniel the satisfaction.

“Suit yourself.” Daniel sighed. “These, Max, are called anal beads. These aren’t exactly beginner beads, though. But you’re pretty smart, right? Pretty grown up?”

Max wanted him to stop.

He really needed to come.

“You can handle these. Not much bigger than my fingers.” Daniel mused, the sound of a cap clicking open. “And your little ass ate those _right up_. Didn’t they? Look at you, so desperate to cum. Teenagers, always in a hurry.”

Something cold touched the skin around his anus. Smooth and slick. It felt like metal. Max tried to jerk away, but he was heavy and stuck.

Daniel pressed the bead into his anus. Max growled, arching a little from the blunt push. Then the feeling went away, leaving Max feeling oddly full yet not at the same time. Confused, he glanced down. The beads were connected by a thin string or something. The went up in size. Not by much, perhaps, but enough for Max to grown and let his head fall back to the bead, shaking.

Daniel leaned up and over him, one hand pressing next to his head.

“You want to come, Max?” He asked gently. “Want me to put you out of your misery? Want to ask me to fuck you, yet?”

Max let out a long breath.

“Come one, Max.” Daniel purred. “You’re, what, sixteen now? How long have you gone without cumming before? It only gets worse.”

Max shook his head hesitantly.

He needed to come.

He couldn’t let Daniel win.

“Suit yourself, Max.” Daniel told him. Then he was gone, almost immediately pushing the second bead inside him.

Then the third. And the fourth. Max’s hips were off the bed now, almost begging for contact. The tears rolling onto his cheeks a mixture of shame and need. He felt full and ready. So ready to come.

Daniel pushed in another one and stopped, Max whimpered.

“Now the main event.” Daniel told him. Max felt an uncomfortable pulling of string against his muscles and then the bead followed it. Stretching him open until it was smoothly pushed out.

Max’s hips jolted upwards, the need to come overtaking his every thought. He made a strangled noise through the gag.

“Atta boy.” Daniel told him, pulling against the second one. Max writhed on the bed, Daniel holding him still with one hand against his belly and the other pulling the beads out of him. They dragged against the sweet spot and were pushed out and Max felt like he was on fire.

He needed to come.

They were on the last one, he’d been counting. Maybe after this… Daniel pulled it out. And paused for a second.

“Time for the second string, Max?” He asked sweetly. Max found himself shaking his head, writhing under Daniels grip. Daniel leaned over him, encouraging him to meet his eyes with one hand. He rolled his hips against him, pressing their cocks together and making Max whimper through the gag.

“What is it Max?” Daniel asked softly, almost teasing. “You don’t want more beads?” Max shook his head, hot tears spilling out of his eyes. Daniel reached up and wiped one of his cheeks gently.

“Want me to take the gag off so you can tell me what you want?” He pressed. Max stared at him, shaking. He didn’t want to give him-

He was already nodding as Daniel pressed their cocks together firmer, rutting into him a little.

The gag was snapped open and Daniel took it out of his mouth slowly. Max licked his lips, feeling like he needed something to bite.

“What do you want Max?” He asked.

“Please…” Max started… _Please stop. Please let me go._ He was thinking. _Please don’t make me do this._ “I need…”

“What do you need Max?”

“I want to… need to cum.” He breathed in reply, watching Daniels blue eyes light up in triumph. “ _Please…_ ”

“Ask me properly, Max.” Daniel instructed. “You know what I want.”

Max took a breath, trying to turn his head or look away but Daniel forced him to keep eye contact. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth.

“Eyes open, Max.” The man said warningly. Max opened his eyes, wishing he wasn’t crying right now.

“Please…” He started, his voice cracking a little. “Please… I want to cum. From…”

“Be clear and concise, Max.”

“Please fuck me, Daniel.” Max said, trying to get it all out at once. “Please… Shove your” he hesitated, Daniel waiting expectantly, “cock inside me. I, I need to cum.”

Daniel smiled and leaned down, kissing him on the mouth. Max didn’t respond, but he was gone just as quickly, already pouring lube into his hand to stroke it up his cock.

“You’re going to enjoy this, Max.” Daniel told him. Partly an instruction, partly a threat. Max nodded numbly.

“Please.” He whispered, feeling broken.

Daniel didn’t take his time. He lifted one of Max’s legs over his shoulder and leaned into him. He lined up and pushed in, Max groaned in pain, discomfort radiating up his back. Daniel paused to adjust his position a little and then pulled away slightly, making Max’s body rack with need. He closed his eyes.

He didn’t want to watch this, as well.

Daniel fucked into him with aggression that Max assumed was years of pent up frustration at being locked up. It hurt. It felt amazing. He wanted to come.

“Please.” He moaned, trying to keep his voice low. “Daniel, please.”

“Good boy.” Daniel told him, fingers wrapping around his dick, releasing the cock ring as they stroked him.

Max saw nothing but white, arching his body under Daniel and swearing his way through a moan. He felt hot semen run onto his stomach.

Max shuddered through aftershocks as Daniel fucked him still. Then, as the glow subsided, Max grimaced. Daniel was still hard, fucking into his spent body like nothing had changed. Without the built-up need in his abdomen it just sort of hurt.   
Max grimaced and watched Daniel, fucking him with his eyes closed now, with disgust. Strong hands gripped his hips and Daniel slammed into him so hard Max went a few inches up the bed.

The boy snarled in pain and twisted as Daniel spilled inside him.

For a moment Daniel didn’t move, his cock twitching inside Max’s ring of muscles. Then he sat back, letting out a deep sigh and smiling. He looked down at Max.

Max wanted to be a smart ass, be rude and sarcastic. But now that he was done Max was terrified of what Daniel might do.

Daniel glanced at the bed, picked something up and showed it to Max.

Max had been on the internet enough to know what a butt plug was.

“Just for you.” Daniel assured him. He watched himself withdraw from Max’s ass and just as quickly pressed the plug inside him. Max didn’t vocalise his disapproval, but shook his head, blinking away yet more tears.

This wasn’t over yet.

The plug in his ass didn’t feel good. The come leaking from him made him want to throw up. His own mess on his stomach shamed him and then Daniel was leaning up and shoving the gag back into Max’s mouth. Max twisted his head, trying to make it as hard as possible for the asshole, but Daniel succeeded.

The man stood, wiping himself clean on Max’s sheets and dressing quickly. He rummaged through his bag and found a phone. He stood and took a few pictures of Max. Max felt himself go red with a mix of anger and shame.

“I’m sticking around for a while, Max.” Daniel said. “So, if I even think you’ve told someone about this I’m sending this photo to every degenerate I know. Including your father.”

Max stared at him, his heart stopping for a second.

“So, choose wisely.” Daniel added, picking up his bag and heading for the door. “Oh, and I know you can get out of those cuffs, so I’m just going to let you keep them.”

Then he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Well. I hope you came away from this unscarred.


	5. The Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a day of rest and lying to everyone he knows about what had happened, Max makes an effort to get his life back to normal. 
> 
> Life, unfortunately, has other ideas.

“Max, a moment please?” Mr Mcarthy called as Max went to follow Neil out of the classroom. Max stopped and his friend muttered a quick ‘see you in the cafeteria’ before vanishing into the hallway. Max sighed and went to stand in front of the teachers desk as the man sat down.  
The glance at the bruising across his neck and face didn’t go unnoticed and almost immediately Max disliked this interaction.  
Not that he liked many interactions, but still.

“Get in a fight?” His math teacher asked, a lilt on his voice suggesting that he wouldn’t believe Max if he’d said no. Dianne hadn’t believed him when he said he _had_ been in a fight, but only because she gave a shit. Unlike this tool.

“Something like that.” Max muttered, hiking his bag up onto his shoulder as it slipped down. The movement sent pain up his spine and through his chest. Even after 48 hours. Mcarthy didn’t respond to Max’s muttered explanation, ignoring it out of lack of fucks where Dianne had let it go out of patience. Instead the teacher pulled a test out of his drawer and placed it so Max could read it.  
The test from last week. 85 percent. Not bad, considering Max had ignored most of the semester.

“You know what this is, Max?” Mcarthy asked, as if he were already straining his patience.

Max resisted the smart assed comment that begged to be hurled at the teacher.

“My test from last week.” He replied instead, keeping his voice as flat as possible. Christ his bag hurt on his shoulder. He let it slip and sat it on the ground next to his feet.

“Correct.” Mcarthy nodded. _Big fucking surprise_. Max thought. “Care to explain the mark?”

Max raised an eyebrow at his teacher, searching the man for a joke. He didn’t find one.

“Well, usually the mark is calculated by the percent of questions one gets right.” Max said dryly. Mcarthy’s lips went even thinner than they already were.

Which was saying something about the skinny old fuck.

“I mean,” Mcarthy went on, “considering your performance on the interim quizzes, and your proximity to Neil during the test, indicates you’ve been cheating.”

Max stared at him, mildly offended, largely unsurprised.

“I didn’t cheat.” Max replied defensively. “And If I had cheated off Neil, it’d be a hundred percent.” He pointed out.

“Care to explain why your working is exactly the same?” Mcarthy went on, completely unfazed by Max’s argument.

“Yeah,” Max felt his voice dropping to a growl, “because that’s how _you taught us_ to do it.”

“Is it?” Mcarthy asked. Max couldn’t answer that. He honestly didn’t know. He hadn’t paid enough attention in class to know Mcarthy’s ass from his dumbass moustache. He had answered the questions in whatever way had been logical.

“Yeah.” Max replied, resolute. “And I’ve been studying with Neil, so…”

There was a long, tight lipped silence while Mcarthy observed him. Entirely unmoved.

“You’re retaking the test.” Mcarthy told him.

“ _What?_ ” Max snarled. “You can’t do-”

“Don’t you dare raise your voice at me.” Mcarthy warned, standing. He suddenly seemed a lot taller. Max flinched backwards. His teacher didn’t notice. “I’ve put up with quite enough of your attitude to last me a lifetime. You’re retaking the test. Next week, isolated. I recommend you study the material.”

“I did.” Max pointed out, some of the heat gone from his voice, but still pissed off.

“Then prove it.” Mcarthy suggested.

“I didn’t cheat.” Max assured him quietly.

“Don’t lie to me, Max.” Mcarthy dismissed, sitting down again. “I hardly think missing a day of school and then showing up with bruises is going to be the person I go to for honesty.” Max blinked at him. “And of course I’ll be sending a formal warning to your foster mother. I’m sure she’ll be overjoyed.”

“She’ll actually believe me.” Max pointed out under his breath.

Mcarthy glanced up at him with a doubtful look.

“Then I pity the woman for being so foolish.” He said. “Out.”

Max left, angry and numb, wanting to yell at the teacher but deciding not to, for once. Neil was waiting in the hallway.

“What happened?” He immediately asked, walking closer than he would have normally. He was worried about Max after all.

“He thinks I cheated on the stupid test.” Max shrugged. “I have to retake it.”

“Well, that’s bullshit.” Neil scoffed. “You tell him to go fuck himself?”

Max sighed.

“No.” He admitted. Silence for a moment, Neil watching him suspiciously.

“You sure you’re ok?” Neil asked again.

“I’m sure Neil.” Max nodded.

“OK, but if you keep this weird behaviour up I’m telling Dianne.” Neil warned. “Or your social worker. She seemed nice.”

 _Yeah,_ Max thought bitterly, _lovely right up until she gave my address to Daniel._

Then Max had a thought. She knew Neil. She probably didn’t know his address, but she knew he was in town. She knew Nikki only lived an hour and a half away. He stopped walking and stared at the floor, mild panic gripping his stomach. It was all well and good not to tell anyone for fear of his Dad coming back and the photo getting out. But… He needed to know how much Danny had told him.

“Max?” Neil was waving his hand in front of him. “You are definitely not okay. Bruising aside, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I have to go.” Max said suddenly. Neil frowned at him.

“We have chemistry after lunch.” Neil pointed out. Max nodded.

“Email me some notes.” He said. “I have to skip.”

“Why?” Neil asked as Max headed away.

“I’ll tell you later.” Max promised, waving over his shoulder with forced cheer.

“Liar.” He heard Neil mutter as he headed for the front entrance.

 

By the time Max had made it across town and to the building where Danny worked there was no way he was getting back to school before it finished. The other people on the bus avoided looking at him for too long. The bruising and swelling on his face probably enough of an incentive on its own. But a roughed-up teen in a hoody in the middle of the day?

No-one came near him.

Danny’s building was an old government block of concrete covered in pseudo positive slogans about the leaders of tomorrow. Max hated it. He was walking up the ramp toward the front doors, which had once been glass but were now safety Perspex, when his phone rang. He didn’t recognise the number so he paused and answered it.

“Hello?” He said automatically.

“Don’t go in there, Max.” Daniels voice warned evenly.

Max froze.

His breath caught in his throat for a moment and he felt his chest tighten. Someone pushed passed him and Max took a few steps to be out of the way of foot traffic. He looked around himself. Car were parked on the street. There were a few pedestrians. He was otherwise alone.

“Good boy.” Daniel told him. “Don’t upset the apple cart now.”

Max had no idea what he was talking about.

“I’ve got a good thing going with your social worker. She heard about you getting in a fight last night. I said I’d call to check on you.” Daniel went on while Max fought the urge to throw his phone at the cement. He dropped his bag off his shoulder and let it sit on the path.

“What… What do you want?” Max asked, the echo from the other night chasing panic into the forefront of his mind. He was stuck.

Daniel laughed quietly.

“I want you to not go in that building, Max.” Daniel said. “I want you to pick up your bag and sit back down at the bus stop and go home.”

Max didn’t move, casting his gaze around. He looked in the windows of the cars.

“You’re not going to find me.” The man sang over the line. “Now, do as you’re told.”

Max took a deep breath.

“Fuck you.” He growled. He didn’t move from where he was standing. There was a moment of silence over the line.

“Don’t push me, Max.” Daniel warned. “Pick up your bag.”

“Come over here and make me.” Max suggested. Hoping that he would so he could call the prick out in front of the street. Not many witnesses. But enough.

Daniel laughed at that.

“Don’t be ridiculous Max.”

“Then, again, go fuck yourself.”

Max took another step back, into the shadow of the building and glanced at his phone. It wasn’t late enough for Dianne to be worried about him getting home. But Neil might wonder soon enough.

“I’m not going to come and make you Max. I can’t stop you from entering the building either. But, if you do, I will be forced to assume that this project is a burn. And I’ll be forced to leave town.”

“That sounds great.” Max admitted.

“Of course it does.” Daniel agreed. “Until you get home and find your foster mother drowning in her own blood.” That made Max frown. “Or I could go and pick your friend Neil up from school. Or just call Dannielle and make sure she doesn’t tell anyone about me. Then, on the way out of town, I’ll find your other friend. Nikki, wasn’t it?” Daniel chuckled. “Pretty girl by now, I’m sure.”

Max could feel his pulse beating against his phone. He was beyond angry. He was beyond terrified. He didn’t know what to do. _Again._

“You get my point, Max.” Daniel said flatly. “Now, get to the bus stop before you miss the next bus.”

Max hesitated over hanging up, feeling lost. Confused.

“What do you want from me?” Max asked, his voice feeling like it was shaking.

Daniel laughed at that. A genuine all-too-warm laugh.

“Everything you have.” Daniel snarled. “Get on your fucking bus, boy.”

Max breathed for a second, slowly hung up the call. He had to jog to get on the bus heading back towards his house, waving at the driver to wait. He got on, as he’d been told and waited for the bus to round a corner before taking a seat towards the back.

“Excuse me.” He leaned forward to the girl across the aisle.

“Yeah, little man?” She asked in reply, barely glancing up at him.

“I’ve run out of call credit; can I borrow your phone to call a friend to come get me?”

The woman sighed and looked up like she was going to tell him to fuck off. Then she saw the bruises on his face and neck and the sad expression Max schooled onto his face.

“Sure, honey.” She nodded. “One call. Are you okay?”

“Thanks.” Max nodded and took the phone as she held it out and punched in Neil's number. “I will be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me a while to get my direction on this!
> 
> Feedback welcome!


	6. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max tries to sleep though disturbing text messages. 
> 
> And then things continue to get worse. 
> 
> This might feel a little rushed, but I've read it too many times to be sure. Enjoy!

Max was glad that be power had come back on while he’d been home from school yesterday. It meant he could at least entertain himself in the suddenly eerie quiet house.

He’d double checked every lock and had his phone within grabbing distance. Though he wasn’t sure how safe using his phone was right now. So, in some kind of rebellion he was watching you tube videos on Dianne’s tablet. Propped up on his chest while he lay in his bed. He glanced at his phone as it buzzed at him from where it was plugged into its charger. He reached over and picked it up and swore a few times. He paused the video and moved the tablet so he could sit up. The number hadn’t been programmed in, but Max didn’t really have to think about who it might be.

  * _Thinking about you._



The text shone on his screen in the dim room. Max had no intention of replying but saved the number under ‘Asshole’. A picture popped up as he got back to the message screen. Max stared at it, both disgusted and unable to look away.

It was the photo Daniel had taken after… Max shook the thought away, quickly deleting the messages before he thought too hard about it. He’d already had a shower. He felt like he needed another one. He realised he was breathing a little too quickly and actively tried to ease his breathing. He got up, went to the kitchen and grabbed a cold bottle of water. Another text was waiting for him when he got back.

Max stared at his phone for a long, long moment. He really didn’t want to read it. He also didn’t want Daniel to turn up to ask him why he hadn’t, either.

He reached down and opened the message.

  * _Reply_



It was not a question. It was an order. Max sat on his bed again, his bottle set on his night table and tapped out a reply quickly.

  * **Fuck off**



He sent it and then sculled half the water. His phone buzzed again and Max groaned. Not that he thought he would fuck off, but the hope had been there.

  * _We both know it doesn’t work that way by now._



Ugh. Proper grammar in his texts. Max shuddered.

  * _I need you to do something for me, Max._



Max glared at the screen while he replied.

  * **Wat**
  * _Now, Max, that isn’t very polite._
  * _You really need to improve your manners._



Max rolled his eyes. Right, because a delusional cult leader was the place to go for manners.

  * _Text your friends. Tell them you’re not going hiking tomorrow._



Max frowned at the screen. Had he told Dannielle he was going hiking? How had Daniel found out otherwise?

  * _Send me the screen shot in five minutes._



Max glanced at the time. This was stupid. It was essentially telling Max that, tomorrow, he was getting… Max shook his head. Why would he give so much prior warning? He could feel the five minutes ticking over, so he came up with a cheap excuse that Nikki would buy and would make Daniel happy and muttered angrily under his breath for a moment. Expletives made him feel better.

He pulled up the group chat on messenger and sent a text quickly.                                                  

Max took a screenshot of both screens worth of conversation and sent them to the fucking asshole.

_This is so totally fucked._ Max thought to himself. It was possibly even stupider than trying to drive a bus at high speed down a dirt track before he’d learned to drive.

  * _Good boy_



Max grimaced at the message, ignoring the notifications for the other conversation still happening without him. Another picture popped up.   
“Gross.” Max physically pointed the phone away from him. It was a dick pic. Max assumed it was Daniels. He didn’t study it too hard, but it was hard in the owners hand. Pale blonde pubic hair visible around the base and at the top of the thighs.

Max deleted the photo.

  * _Your turn_



Max physically shook his head for a moment in reply.

  * **No**
  * **Did wat u asked.**
  * **Fuck off**



Max could almost hear Daniels smug smile in his reply a few minutes later.

  * _This isn’t a debate, Max._
  * _I could come over and take one myself._
  * _Up to you._



Max sighed. Knowing that he wasn’t getting out of this without more threats to his personal wellbeing or his friends. He shuffled back onto his bed again and leaned back. He lifted his boxers out of the way and took a photo and sent it. It wasn’t a good photo. Max didn’t really care. He checked back on the group chat and didn’t bother replying. He closed it and sighed.

He was so fucked. He phone buzzed again and Max resisted the temptation to pitch it out the window.

  * _Max we both know that’s not what I want._
  * **You asked for a dik pic**
  * **Wat u got**



Max was actively avoiding the ideas popping into his head about why the fuck Daniel wanted a picture of his dick. Much less a well lit one.

  * _Step by step then, Max._
  * _Go to your bathroom_
  * _Selfie once you’re there._



Max groaned and complied. Knowing full well that he was meant to be a ‘good boy’. He physically shuddered at the thought. He got to the bathroom and flicked on the lights. Took the selfie in the mirror while flipping it off.

  * _Manners, Max._



Max could almost hear him tutting.

  * _Pants off._
  * _Use your hand, get yourself hard._



Max stared at the instruction and felt himself go red despite being alone. How was he meant to get hard while a paedophile and literal murderer was texting him?

  * _Think of your school crush, if that helps._



It didn’t because Max didn’t currently have one. Max didn’t get much time to deliberate the option, though, because the next texts had him staring in discomfort at the phone.

  * _Or maybe think about how much you loved my fingers inside you._
  * _How much you begged me to fuck you._



He resent the photo of Max, cuffed and gagged, cum on his stomach. Max felt physically nauseas.

  * _Touch yourself while you remember how good it felt._



Max hated that there were tears in his eyes. He hated how sick he felt.  
He hated how hard his dick felt. He took a deep breath.

  * **Bethany**



He sent quickly, trying to think of the girls hair, how pretty she looked in her track shorts.

  * **From school**



He added. He deleted the previous messages and picture.

  * **You don’t do shit for me**
  * **Old man**



Max was aware he was playing with fire and _also kind of lying_. No. He shook his head firmly. It isn’t the same. He closed his eyes and thought about Bethany. About making out with her under the bleachers after her track events. He’d gone to see Nikki run at the inter school event. Bethany had talked to him.

Her lips had been soft. And her boobs had been great. Max rubbed his hands along his dick and sighed. He kicked his shorts to the floor, ignoring the new texts from Daniel and took the photo. He opened the message window again to send it.

  * _Whatever works for you, Max._
  * _And whatever you want to tell yourself_



And then, once the photo had gone through.

  * _That’s more like it._
  * _Good boy_



Max pulled up his shorts and sent him another selfie, flipping off the camera again, trying to look as annoyed as possible.

  * _You’re too adorable, Max._
  * _Be a good boy for me, I’ll know if you leave your house._
  * _Someone will be by to get you in the morning._



Max stared at his phone, has hand hovering over the light switch in the bathroom. He wasn’t sure what he had expected. It hadn’t been a full night’s sleep. He waited for another message to come.  
It didn’t. He went back to bed, started the video up again, opened the chat window on the tablet and checked in with Neil. He didn’t think Daniel was bluffing. He would know if he left the house. And even if he didn’t, when whoever came to get him in the morning found he wasn’t here, what next? If he knew about Neil and Nikki then Danny would have told him about Dianne and where she worked. If he knew that they had been going camping then safe to say Daniel knew where Neil and Nikki’s parents lived.

Max stared at the moving screen blankly, not even taking in the slow-motion video of a microwave exploding.

He wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

 

Max managed to sleep through Dianne getting home and then leaving again in the morning. He woke up feeling unrested and stiff. The tablet had fallen off the bed at some point. He reached over and unplugged his phone and deleted all the messages from last night. He really didn’t want a reminder of it again. He played with a few settings, turning it to silent and lowering the screen brightness as it blinded his eyes in his dim room.

He heard someone knocking on the door and he physically flinched at the noise.

Christ his face still hurt. He rolled out of bed and pulled his jeans on, shoving his phone into them, and grabbed the cleanest hoodie on the pile of hoodies that he had managed to accumulate. Not that he needed a hoodie, of course, the morning was cool but not cold. He padded out into the kitchen, not grabbing shoes because he wasn’t even sure who it even was. Which was his brain lying to him, of course it was whoever Daniel had sent.

There came another knock. It was patient, non-demanding. Max studied the door for a long moment before picking up the cell phone on the counter and pulling the door open slightly. A man in a brown uniform was standing there, looking like he was already sick of his day. There was a woman leaning on the van parked by the curb behind him, a capture pole in her hand. Max didn’t know what they were called. They were dog catchers, it looked like. Max frowned.

“What?” He said, not opening the door more than the few inches it took to see them. The man raised an eyebrow.

“Mornin’ to you to, kid.” He said, his gruff voice sounding exasperated. “We’re looking for a German Shepherd that attacked someone early this morning around here. You have a dog, son?”

Max looked between them, not entirely sure what to make of this situation. The woman was looking at her phone.

“No.” He said.

“Have you seen a dog like that?” He pressed. Max frowned.

“One of the families down the street has a shepherd.” Max admitted. “But it’s a nice dog.”

“Which house?” The man asked, looking down the street. Max grimaced slightly.

“I don’t know the number.” He said. “Down the street and around the corner. It’s a big blue house.”

The man pointed the wrong direction.

“Down that way?” He asked. Max sighed and opened the door a little more.

“No.” He shook his head. “Down that way and then left.” He motioned with his arm so the dog catcher could see. The man nodded and then looked back at Max.

What happened next was over so fast Max wasn’t even sure on the details. The man grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the half open door, making the teenager stumble to the ground. Max snarled something in surprise but didn’t manage to get to his feet before the man grabbed his hoodie and hauled him to his feet. The phone was torn from his hand and Max heard it smash into the concrete a second later.

Then all he could see was the woman and there was something sharp and tight around his neck. He tried to pull back in panic, tried to grab at the pole dragging him away from his house, but was forced to follow or be dragged by the neck. He yelled in panic, telling them “No! Stop!” But he wasn’t even sure how loud it was before the van door opened and the dogs started barking. Max had half a second to look at the cages before he was shoved neck first into one. Then his neck was released, the cage door clicked shut and Max had half a second to look up at the two dog catchers making sure the lock was secure before slamming the van door shut and leaving Max in the almost dark with the curious noises and growling of the three or four dogs around him.

He was shaking, again. His neck was killing him, again.

Max had not expected this morning to go particularly well. He had not expected it to go this way, either.

“This is so fucked.” He said aloud, anger seeping into his voice.

One of the dogs barked at him in reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next couple of chapters will be pretty rough, so sorry about that. 
> 
> Sorry about my lack of skills with the text exchange. It felt easiest.
> 
> Feedback welcome!


	7. The belly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max arrives at what he feasibly thinks might be his last stop.
> 
> This chapter, as with this story, is dark and we're getting darker...
> 
> Proceed with caution

They drove for hours.

Max tried to curl up and rest in the bottom of the dog cage, but it hadn’t really been designed with a sixteen-year-old kid in mind. It was cramped and the floor of the cage was hard metal. The dogs, however, did manage to lay down and rest. They slept though the turns and accelerations. For a long time they drove without slowing at all. Which Max assumed meant they were on one of the interstates. They drove well out of the city. Max wasn’t as good as he knew he should be at geography around the area, but they had to be a long way from anywhere.

Dianne wouldn’t panic because she wouldn’t expect to hear from him while he was ‘hiking’ with Nikki and Neil. By the time the van slowed and crunched to a stop on what sounded like gravel, Max was stiff and sore. He was tense, desperate to pee and thirsty as fuck. The dogs sat up in interest around him as voices and footsteps sounded outside the car.

He sat as much as he could, trying to prepare himself for whatever he might need to do. He hitched his hood over his head, as well, hoping it might protect his neck if they decided the capture pole noose was the way to get things done. Fuck he needed to pee.

The door opened and light poured into the van. Max flinched backwards and had to shut his eyes and raise a hand. The dogs barked, throwing themselves against the cages at the sight of freedom. Max blinked and tried to get used to the light before looking up. They were parked in front of a house, a wide gravel drive connecting to steps that led up to a two story house. It was one of the biggest houses that Max had ever seen, but he had lived in small apartments his whole life. Unfortunately Daniel was standing in front of it so Max couldn’t really enjoy it all that much. The lady dog catcher snarled something at the dogs and they started to quiet down. Daniel approached, his trademark creep smile on his face and his white shirt almost glowing in the sunlight. He was wearing white pants now, as well.

“Hey there, Max.” He said. “Did you have a good trip?”

Max didn’t reply, simply stared at him in a mix of anger, fear and defiance. Daniel didn’t seem to mind, though, stepping up to the cage and resting his fingers against the lock mechanism. Max glanced at his hand at it didn’t unlock the cage and back up at Daniel in silence. He really wished he’d prepared something witty to say at this point.

“Now, Max, I’m going to unlock this.” Daniel told him. “And we’re going to go inside. Are you going to be good, or does Harriet need to put her noose into practice?” Daniel glanced pointedly at the dog catcher behind him, holding the pole in her hand and watching him carefully. Max shook his head.

“I need to hear it, Max.”

“I’ll walk.” Max told him through his teeth, desperately trying to calm himself down.

“Good boy.” Daniel said gently, unlocking the door and swinging it open.

There was a second that passed that all of Max’s instincts told him to _run._ His body reverberated with the desire as he pushed forward and unfolded out of the corner of the cage he’d squished into. But before the thought could be put into action, before allowing instinct to take hold, Daniels hand gripped his hair and ‘helped’ him steady himself as he landed on the gravel driveway. Max had a huge desire to hit Daniel. Or stretch his cramped muscles. But did neither of them as Daniel set off towards the house. The cultist called a thank you over his shoulder as they walked up the steps, Max growling obscenities as the man pulled on his hair. He had to grit his teeth against the sharp gravel against his bare feet, feeling the warm rocks push against the skin.

The van started up and the sound of tires crunching over gravel echoes around the empty surrounds as they headed back towards the road. Max tried to see how far it was, but didn’t really get a chance as Daniel opened and pulled him through the front door. Max flinched as the door shut behind them, now trapped in the confines of a hallway with a known murderer. Daniel let go of his hair and Max took a step away from him and glanced around him. The hall led towards the back of the house, unbroken until Max could see the backyard. It spilled into open space to his left, Max could see the corner of couches, and further along the tiles of a kitchen on the right.

“You drove for a long time.” Daniel said, matter of fact, toeing his shoes off. “You need the toilet, I imagine?”

Max stared at him. Surprised at the mundanity of the question. He felt himself blink several times, felt his brow knit in confusion and concern. _Fuck_. They were in the middle of nowhere. There was nowhere for him to go.

Even if someone was coming, they were hours away.

“Max.” Daniel said firmly, shaking Max from his thoughts with a hand on his shoulder, gripping him firmly. “Toilet.” He said, not a question now. He pointed up the hall. Max followed his gesture with a look. Daniel shoved him to make a point. Max grudgingly moved down the hall, Daniel moving behind him. Max realised as they moved away that Daniel hadn’t locked the door behind him.

“Right.” Daniel said, guiding him around the corner. It was another hall that led to a staircase. But Daniel stopped him halfway toward it, opening a door and nodding Max through. It was a bathroom. A shower, toilet and sink. A little bigger than Max was used to. He glanced at Daniel, glad the man hadn’t followed him in.

“I’ll give you a minute.” Daniel offered gently. “Knock when you’re done.”

The door shut and Max stared at the plain, empty, white door. There was no handle on this side.

Max moved quickly, checking the cupboards and hiding his phone behind the spare toilet paper and closed it as quietly as he could. Then he peed, because he was still desperate too, and washed his hands. He glanced up at his face and grimaced at the marks around his neck. There had been bruising before, from where Daniel had strangled him, but now it was joined by an angry red mark, almost a welt, from the dog catcher. His face was still discoloured but the swelling had gone down.

He looked at himself and took a deep, deep breath.

He was only going to get one chance at this. He had to make it look good. Had to make it count. He moved to the door, pressing his shoulder against it to test the weight, and then moved back a little and knocked gently.

The latch clicked over.

Max, pushing all his weight through his legs and body, slammed his shoulder and hip into the door. He felt it collide with something and heard Daniel swearing but didn’t stop to check. He just ran. He hit the hallway and gripped the doorframe to help him corner and sprinted towards the door. He could hear Daniel coming after him.

“You little shit, Max!” The man snarled. “You don’t know when to quit, do you?”

Max got to the door, fiddled for what felt like an age to get it open and didn’t hesitate before leaping down the steps and hitting the gravel. Once again the rocks hurt his feet, even worse now that he was running and pushing all his weight though his legs to carry him as far as they could manage. Max realised there was a car rolling down the drive. Relief filled him at the familiar sight of siren lights and white and blue. It was a cop car. Never in his life had he been so fucking glad to see them.

The car stopped and the door opened when Max was a few dozen yards from it. Max didn’t bother glancing back to see where Daniel was.

“Please!” He called. “I need you to-” Max stopped running and talking over the space of a few paces. His breath came in gulps and burned his chest while his heart was trying to escape.

The cop was pointing a gun at him. Max was stunned into freezing. The gun helped, of course, but mostly a moment of sheer confusion before the penny dropped.

And it dropped _hard_.

“Fuck.” Max growled, taking a few paces backwards as the cop approached him slowly. The cop, too, was blonde. He had dark eyes that were still somehow blue. He didn’t have a partner in the car. He was wider than Daniel, more solid looking, and met his eyes seriously.

“Language.” Daniel spoke from some distance behind him. He sounded out of breath and Max was nearly as smug about that as he could have been, but he was still distracted by the approaching muzzle of a .45.

“Bring him in, will you?” Daniel said. The cop, now only a few paces away, holstered his weapon. Once it was gone Max felt like he’d been released and he jolted with surprise as the man reached out.

“Fuck off!” He snarled, darting backwards to avoid his grip and shot to the side to go around him, maybe hijack his car. He could drive now, after all.

But there were arms around him soon enough. Max felt himself being lifted up and then he was on the ground, chest empty of hair and the back of his partly saved from the gravel by his curls and his hood. He growled in pain, barely able to register where he was before he was on his front. There was weight though his diaphragm, forcing his already burning chest to hurt even more. One of his arms was wrenched up his back and four seconds after he was gasping into the gravel, hands cuffed behind him.

“No!” Max yelled, at no-one in particular; writhing as the cop picked him up and carried him over his shoulder like he was a sack of potatoes.

“Put me down!” He demanded, trying to kick the legs in the mans strong grip. There was an impact on his ass and Max froze in surprise. The dude had smacked him.

“Shut up.” The dude replied. His voice was deeper than Daniels, gruffer almost. “What the fuck, man?” He added, clearly speaking to the other cultist.

“Sorry.” Daniel replied. “I got a little careless.”

“You think?” He sighed. “Get the door.”

“Stephen…” Daniel started.

“Seriously, he’s heavier than he looks.” Stephen growled. “Would you stop fucking wriggling?!” The man aimed at Max.

“Fuck you, man.” Max spat in reply. “Put me down!”

“I’ll put you fucking down.” The man warned quietly. Daniel appeared in his peripheral vision and Max squirmed as he patted his clothes down. He found the lock picks tucked into the hem of his hoodie and Max swore at him as he tossed them. Max had no idea how he’d figured that one out.

“Why are you here so early?” Daniel asked, stepping back out of sight. “I’m nowhere near ready.”

“Well, I thought you might like some help.” Stephen replied glibly. “Looks like you did.” A moment of silence as they walked up the steps, Max still trying to wriggle free, pulling his wrists against his cuffs.

“Right.” Daniel sighed. “Thanks.” The sound of the door opening.

“A boy?” Stephen said after a moment, stepping into the hall.

“Father never cared.” Daniel replied and Max was totally confused, but still trying to get free.

“Fair enough.” Stephen shrugged underneath Max’s navel. “He’s not going to like him though.”

Without warning Stephen tipped his weight forward and dumped Max onto the floor of the lounge area. Max, surprised by the sudden weight through his legs, stumbled backwards, landed on his ass and against the couch. Stephen stepped forward so he was practically standing over his legs. Max glared up at him, pushing into the couch out of instinct.

“Protect and fucking serve, huh?” He said, trying to poison his voice as much as he could manage. Stephen glanced at him and laughed. He looked back at Daniel, who was standing in the hall still, looking at his socks and pulling a few remnants of gravel from them.

“He’s definitely not going to like him.” Stephen added. “Not with a mouth like that.” Then looked down at Max with what could only be described as a hungry glare.

“He will or he wont.” Daniel shrugged behind the cop. “He’s the only offering here anyway.”

“I could still make use of it.” Stephen replied quietly.

“What?” Daniel frowned.

“His mouth.” Stephen clarified. Max tensed and looked from Daniel to Stephen to try and track the situation. They appeared have a silent conversation. Daniel looking slightly annoyed and Stephen unreadable delight. After a moment Daniel shrugged and made a motion with his hands.

“Fine.” He dismissed, turning away. “Just don’t take too long, I have to prep him yet.” He started walking away.

Max felt suddenly worse. Daniel was dangerous, sure, but he was also a known entity. Stephen; Max didn’t know what to expect. Additionally he had no clue what was happening. What they were talking about.

He was full of nerves and fear and wanted nothing more than to be angry and spitting sarcastic insults at them. But nothing came as he glared at the man still standing over him. Max didn’t kid himself, there was nowhere for him to go. Stephen unclipped his weapon holster and tossed it onto the other couch. Then he undid his belt and it followed it. Max watched him in shaking silence, trying to comprehend properly what was going on. What he should be preparing for. Stephen reached down and grabbed the front of his hoodie and pulled him to his feet. Max half expected him to hit him, or throw him into the hallway, but instead he spun and sat on the couch, keeping Max in front of him.

“You got a name?” The man asked, making himself comfortable and tugging Max so he was standing in between his legs. Max knew where this was going and really hoped he was wrong. He tried to pull back and away, his hands uselessly locked behind him. “No, you don’t.” Stephen laughed, pulling him in. Max felt a heel in the back of his knee and it collapsed his leg in front of him, sending him to his knees. Stephen changed his grip to hold his face by his chin, aiming it so he was forced to look at Stephen.

“I asked you a question.” He said firmly, pronouncing ‘ask’ like ‘arks’. “You gotta learn to answer questions sometime, kid.”

Max failed at pulling his face away.

“Max.” He said awkwardly around the grip. Stephen smiled.

“Easy to remember.” He nodded. “Now, Max, you ever suck a cock before?”

Max physically grimaced at the question, hoping like hell that something would break this up. He knew that help was not coming, though. And if it was, it was hours away. He managed to nodded awkwardly. He and Neil had been drunk, horny and curious last summer. Stephens smile grew a few teeth wider.

“And judging by the state of your face and neck; I guess Daniel has demoed what happens when we’re naughty?”

Max took a shaking breath, his chest tightening as he did so, the threat clear. He nodded again.

“So, you can guess what’s going to happen if I feel teeth?” Stephen pressed. “Or you try and get away?”

Max nodded slightly again, painfully clear on the situation. Stephen let his face go and Max fought every instinct he had not to get to his feet and try to run. Not that he’d be able to open a door with his hands cuffed behind him. Stephen shifted as Max tried to get feeling back into his jaw and undid his belt, button and fly. Max pointedly looked at his knee while he moved further. He didn’t even look up when he heard the man chuckle. He flinched at the sensation of fingers in his hair.

“Come on, kid.” Stephen teased. “Not shy are you?”

Max resisted spitting out a snide comment his way about being a captive and fucking completely uninterested in sucking this guy off. But the look on his face as Stephen turned it around must have given him away. He laughed again.

“Someone has a temper.” He smiled, reaching down to pointedly stroke his now free dick. “Now, either you can do this, or I can make you.” He offered.

Max didn’t really want to participate at all. But the idea of having the mans dick shoved roughly into his throat was all sorts of worse. He took a deep breath, glancing up at Stephens already victorious expression, and then down at his cock.

Max didn’t have a wealth of experience. The man was a little bigger than him, but it looked otherwise like the average dick he’d seen in porn. He could do this. He’d practiced a little with Neil. He’d seen plenty of porn. It was just a blow job. He forced the shaking feeling in his chest down, swallowed the lump of disgust in his mouth while trying to wet his mouth and, without looking up to see the man’s face, leaned down to put his lips around the head of Stephens dick. He was immediately uncomfortable, forced to shuffle closer to maintain balance. He ignored the taste, his nose already filled with the smell of sweat. The hand in his hair closed to a fist as the cock in his mouth twitched slightly. Max firmed his lips and pressed down, the head of the cock filling his mouth until discomfort and he pulled back a little. This would have been easier with hands, Max figured, but maybe Stephen didn’t care. Maybe he just got off forcing people to suck his dick.

“C’mon, kid, a little more suction.” Stephen ordered breathily, his hand suddenly in front of Max’s nose, moving opposite him to stroke the shaft that Max couldn’t get to. Max paused and focussed. “There you go.”

Max concentrated on breathing through his nose, trying to keep his mouth as moist as possible. He pulled away for a second, taking a few deep breaths and licking his lips, only to be pressed down again by the hand in his hair. This time Stephen pushed, pressing down until Max felt the need to resist. To back away as the head of his cock pressed towards the back of his mouth. Stephen didn’t let up the pressure, pushing down until Max could feel the urge to gag. Then he was let up, Max tried not to race backwards, tried to be cooperative while trying to take a breath to calm down. Stephen encouraged him back down again, slowly advancing the depth as Max struggled to stay calm while having his throat threatened with a cock.

He heard Stephen say something, but wasn’t sure what, and resisted the urge to gag as Stephen stroked a few times up and down, his hand touching Max’s nose as it moved. Max lost count of the times Stephen repeated the process. The taste of bitter salt rubbed into his tongue as pre-cum leaked from the cock in his mouth. He tried to pull away to spit but Stephen didn’t let him get far, pressing him down again. With less care now, desperately pumping his hand on the base of his shaft while pressed Max’s mouth down from the end. Max felt the man press his hips up a little, clearly nearing the point of orgasm.

Stephen pressed him down to the point of his gag reflex, Max forced himself to try and swallow to override the instinct, and Stephen let out a breathy moan. In any other situation Max might have been proud of himself. As it was he was just glad this was nearly over. Max could feel saliva started to drip down his chin as Stephen pressed his dick into his mouth, two hands in Max’s hair now and pressing him down even further.

Max tried to make a noise of protest, sliding his knee forward to try to gain traction to pull back. The cock in his mouth pulsed and Stephen groaned. The bitter taste filled Max’s mouth and made him rear backwards as Stephens grip loosened. Before Max could spit the contents of his mouth onto the carpet and try to get the taste out of his mouth there was a hand over his face. Max stared up at Stephen, resisting the urge to swallow. His eyes were watering from the almost gagging sensation at the back of his throat. The cop leaned in a little and smiled.

“Swallow for me, Max.” He ordered quietly. Max, breathing heavily through his nose, closed his eyes. He had to force it down, his throat rebelling against him even as it swallowed. Stephen let him go and Max leaned forward over his knees, staring at the floor while trying to get his breath back.

“Spit on that carpet and you’ll be licking it clean.” Stephen warned, standing and stepping over him. Max swallowed again, a few times over, trying to rid his mouth of the taste. Reality collided with him. Hard. He stared at the carpet, trying to control his breathing.

_Deep breaths._

He didn’t know if this was Daniels house, if this was his family. But the _fucking police officer_ hadn’t flinched at this. Max was in way fucking deeper than he’d ever expected to be. He took several deep, trembling breaths, blowing air out through pursed lips to try and slow himself down, trying to calm down. He had to give this time. He needed to get through the day.

_Deep breaths, Max._

They clearly planned on keeping him around for a little while, otherwise why bother waiting? His breath held in his chest for a long moment. They wouldn’t kill him right away, right? Unless they were waiting for-

_Deep fucking breaths!_

More people were coming, maybe? Daniel had mentioned a father? Max shook his head at the floor, wringing his wrists against the metal cuffs. He could feel bruises forming and the skin weakening but he didn’t care. He went to kneel upwards, but a boot stopped him from getting far, obviously wanting him to stay where he was.

_He needed to breathe._

“He’s freaking out.” Stephen said above him. Max doubted it was to him. He tensed and froze altogether when he heard the sound of tires crunching in the drive.

“He’ll be fine.” Daniels voice said from somewhere. “I’ll need you cuff keys, though.” Stephen laughed.

“Sure you don’t need help?” He asked, a teasing note to his voice.

Max took a few, far too rapid, breathes as his chest reminded him to breathe.

“I’ll manage.” Daniel assured the man. “Why’re you being such a dick today?”

“Not every day I get to see you grovel, Daniel.” Stephen chided. “I gotta soak it in.”

The door opened and more voices were suddenly in the hall, Max unable to see anything from his position on the floor.

“Steve, why’re you parked in the middle of the driveway?” A womans voice asked.

“Had to catch a rabbit.” Stephen replied, a jingling of keys being thrown overhead.

“Guys, the drinks and everything are set up outside.” Daniel said before anyone could say anything else. “Please help yourselves.” He added pointedly. “Stephen, you too.”

“Come on, Danny, let me help.” Stephen whined.

“Don’t call me Danny.” Daniel said firmly. “And let’s not do this now.”

The boot was removed from Max’s back as Stephen moved away.

“Fine.” Stephen muttered. “But we’re doing it later.”

Max looked up in time to see Daniel rolling his eyes. Then they were alone again. He didn’t let that fool him, though, this was _not_ better.

“You alright, Max?” Daniel asked, the sound of almost genuine concern in his voice. “You look upset.”

“Go fuck yourself, _Danny_.” Max snarled in reply, shaking himself and rocking backwards onto his feet. He ignored the roll of dizziness as he stood. Daniel smiled his cruel smile at him as if he’d just remembered who Max was.

“There you are.” He said, rounding the couch. “Come on then, got some effort ahead of us tonight.”

Max took a few steps back but Daniel had a handful of hair a moment later and was dragging him back across the hall towards the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I don't love this chapter. I've rewritten it a couple of times but the flow escaped me a little.
> 
> I wanted to have it finished so it would present as a whole, but have failed on that part. So, sorry for the wait, thanks for sticking with me on this.


	8. The beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm... So sorry.

Max was getting really sick of his hair being progressively ruined in order for Daniel to have something to drag him around with. His scalp was aching by the time Daniel got him all the way up the stairs and into a door beyond a big bedroom. He swore at the man the whole way, to the point where he started running out of expletives and resorted to random insults.

“White faced... colonial dickhead!” Max spat as he was pulled into the bathroom, the tiles cold on his feet.

“Come on, Max, you’re not even trying with that one.” Daniel pointed out, shutting the door and letting Max go. Max took a few steps back, looking around at the large shower and sink. He glared back at Daniel.

“Fuck you.” Max snarled. Daniels smile faded a little.

“Let me make this very clear to you, Max.” Daniel said, voice low to the point of anger. “You’ve already made a scene in front of my… associates. Today isn’t going to go the way you want it.” He advanced across the room slowly, Max made a point of not backing away. “There is no cavalry incoming. No-one knows where you are, even once they know you’re gone.” He reached out gently, Max flinching away from his hand, and ran his fingers along his jawline. He cupped his hand around Max’s head, a sick twist of a loving touch. He pulled Max in slightly, bringing their faces a little closer together. “You’re used goods now, Max. I’m bringing you into the only life you’ve got left.” Max blinked at him, half insulted, half surprised and half concerned he was right. Daniel stepped into him, forcing him back. His lower back now caught between the sink and Daniel. Max pulled his head away, tried to twist away from Daniel, but he pressed in closer. “Nowhere to go, Max.” Daniel said quietly. “No-one to convince. Look at you. Who else is really going to want someone so ready to submit to their rapist?” Daniel reached down and grasped Max’s groin through his jeans. Max flinched, tensing and leaning away over the sink. Immediately uncomfortable. He looked away and stared at the wall.

“Avoid me all you want, Max.” Daniel told him, leaning in close and speaking low. Max shook his head slightly as he felt Daniels hands start to work his fly open. “I’ve already seen you. I know how dirty you are.”

Max didn’t have a reply to give him. He felt ashamed of the fact…  _He wasn’t saying no_.

Wasn’t that tantamount to saying yes?

Daniel leaned in close enough that Max could feel his breath on his neck, pulling down the fly of his jeans. Max knew he was already red, shame colouring his face as Daniel reached in, pushing his boxers out of the way, and grasped his half hard cock. Daniel laughed breathily in his ear.

“See? Already hard for me, Max.” He was smiling through his voice. “ _Good boy_.” He purred. “Already so well trained.”

“No.” Max said, trying to sound firm. He doubted it came out that way.

“No?” Daniel asked. He pulled back a little, pulling his pants down completely, Max jumping at the sudden exposure.

“ _Fuck_.” Max swore. “Stop?”

Daniel pulled the jeans down and away from around his ankles, kicking them across the bathroom. Then his hand was around Max’s dick again, stroking laughably gently. Max tried to use his sudden space to move away, only to be crowded in again and trapped against the vanity.

“No, Max.” Daniel assured him. “You lost the privilege of consent a long time ago. I’m just educating you.”

Max had no idea what he meant by that, barely holding in a groan as the man massaged his testicles. Then he blinked in surprise when Daniel sank down in front of him. He barely had enough time to process this information before there was the heat of a mouth around the tip of his cock.

“ _Fuck._ ” He breathed, missing an opportunity to move away until Daniel gripped his hip and pressed him harder into the vanity. His mouth applied suction as he swallowed him down, his fingers tracing around his groin.

In one fell swoop Daniel managed to get most of Max into his mouth and Max didn’t have the mental awareness to know what that meant but… _fuck_. It felt good. Daniel pulled away a little and sucked him back down, the tight heat of his throat pressing along Max’s cock as the man swallowed. Max choked out a half-formed word that was a moan in disguise. He felt his body curl around the feeling, tension pulling in his abdomen. Max’s brain tried to comprehend the feeling. He shouldn’t like it. Daniel was fucking insane. He was…

“ _What the fuck_?” Max managed to breathe out loud, voicing his confusion. Daniel pulled away, the cold air that rolled over his now moist, hard cock, felt like an insult. He groaned at the loss. Daniel stood and leaned to reach around him.

“Well, Max,” Daniel said in his ‘explaining’ voice, “the easiest way to get the attention of people like you is through their libido.”

Max was stunned a little by the actual answer that he barely registered one of the cuffs loosening.

“ _People like me_?” He pressed, offence bleeding into his voice. Daniel smiled at him and grasped the bottom of his hoodie and tee.

“Natural slaves.” Daniel clarified.

Max blinked at him and then the hoodie and shirt was over his head and being tugged off forcefully. It caught on the remaining cuff for a moment until Max pulled himself away, trying to get out of reach of Daniel with a shove. Daniel dropped his clothes on the floor and Max moved off the vanity and rushed to take a few steps away. He glanced at the door behind Daniel.

“Don’t be silly, Max.” Daniel said moving back towards him calmly. “Unless you’d like Stephen to come up here and help me.”

“Right, like he’s so much worse than you.” Max snarled, raising his hands in a defensive posture, knowing he was cornered. Daniel smiled.

“Oh, it’s debatable.” Daniel shrugged. “But he also doesn’t have a vested interest in getting you ready.”

“Ready?” Max echoed. “What the _fuck_ are you talking about?” He really wished his voice hadn’t broken over that sentence.

“I don’t want to spoil the fun.” The man replied, running hand through his blonde hair. He raised a hand. “Come here.”

Max looked at his hand and evaluated. He was already sore and tired. There wasn’t much of a chance to get away. If Daniel didn’t stop him from getting out, there were more people downstairs that would. He stared at the extended hand. Daniel seemed calm behind it. Max felt anything but and the older man’s calm was throwing him. As if he wasn’t concerned that Max might escape.

As if it was a foregone conclusion.

Max relaxed his hands a little and tried to rationalise it. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to fight. It would only end in pain and then he’d be in the same situation, possibly more injured. So, he took a small, trembling step forward. This was the smart thing to do…

_Right?_

Daniel covered the rest of the distance, taking his movement as permission, and gripped the wrist that still had the cuffs dangling from it.

“Smart boy.” Daniel assured him. Max really wasn’t sure about that.

He pulled Max into the wide shower behind the pane of glass and Max regretted everything immediately. He caught a glimpse of a bucket in the corner before Daniel was holding his hand above his head, forcing him up to his toes to thread the cuff over a bar bolted into the wall above Max’s head. He paused.

“Other hand up, Max.” Daniel instructed. The teenager hesitated. He knew Daniel could force him if he wanted to. His calves were already complaining about the position. He slowly raised his hand, stretching up so Daniel could clasp the cuff around it. Then he moved away.

Max was shaking from more than the cold. His heels were off the floor to stop the sharp edges of the hand cuffs digging into his already sore wrists. He was facing the wall, the grey tiles matte finish didn’t reflect anything happening behind him. He was torn between not wanting to look and wanting to know what Daniel was doing as he moved around and the sound of things moving echoed around the room. His hard on was starting to wane, thankfully, and Max hoped that it would stay that way. This was awful enough without Daniel having ammunition behind his ‘you like this’ argument. Because it wasn’t true.

It was his stupid teenage hormones.

It was a natural response to contact and attention.

It was… _It wasn’t what had Daniel said it was_.

“Legs a little further apart, Max.” Daniel told him gently. Max considered turning his head to look at him, but discarded the idea. He didn’t move. He heard Daniel sigh and then there was a foot against his ankle and the man shoved roughly. Max grunted in pain as his weight dropped through his wrists before he managed to get his balance.

“Do what you’re told Max and it won’t hurt as much.” Daniel pointed out. The bucket scraped across the floor and was left between Max’s legs.

He didn’t think about it.

He heard the sound of something opening, a crinkling of plastic and then the sound of it being discarded. He tried to move on his toes a little, trying to make himself more comfortable.

_Smack._ Max jolted in surprise as Daniels hand landed on his ass.

“Relax, Max, or this is going to be uncomfortable.” Daniel advised.

“ _More uncomfortable?_ ” Max whispered sardonically. Daniel chuckled.

“It can be arranged.” Daniel assured him. “Cold.” He warned. Max, for a second, had no idea what he was talking about. Then Daniel pulled one of his cheeks aside and the feeling of lubricated hard plastic pressed against his anus. He jerked in surprise, twisting and trying to turn and look. But with how he was standing there was no hope.

“Relax.” Daniel repeated. He pressed in firmly and Max tried to relax his muscles. Whatever it was pressed deeply into his ass, sending tendrils of pleasure to his cock and discomfort to his brain as it scrambled for sense of the situation. He felt his ass clamp down on it as Daniel stopped pushing and let it go. It slid a little against his muscles, but stayed in place. Max took a deep breath and felt something hanging from whatever it was.

“What are you-”

“Do I need to gag you, Max, or are you going to shut the fuck up and let me work?” His voice snarled over Max’s shoulder, cold and sudden. Max tensed and stared intently at the wall. He shook his head slightly. Metal scraped against metal as a tap was turned on and Max could no longer ignore the obvious situation.

Water, far too cold, flushed into his rectum via the nozzle or whatever it was and made his entire abdomen shudder at the intrusion. He had a sudden desire to take a shit, grimacing into the wall. Daniel patted him on the shoulder, Max flinching at the contact out of discomfort.

“Stop it.” Max managed.

“No, gotta make sure you’re all clean.” Daniel replied, forcefully happy. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

“What?” Max shook his head. He was split over his reaction. He wanted to kill Daniel. He also didn’t want to be left here, water running into his ass and expelling… He shook his head again.

The teen tried to look around in surprise as the bathroom door snapped shut.

“Fuck.” Max breathed. He squirmed in discomfort. He was going to kill Daniel if he got the chance.

He really hoped he’d get the chance.

 

It felt like a long time to Max. He knew that it probably wasn’t. But he was cold, his calves getting more and more unstable as the time passed, the sensation of water moving around his large intestine was irritating. So, by the time Daniel came back, Max had his eyes closed and was trying to focus on anything other than the pain in his legs and the feeling of water and the sound of the bucket under him. He didn’t look around at the sound of the door, it didn’t really matter who it was.

“Sorry about that.” Daniel told him, moving in close behind him. “Had to make sure everyone was comfortable.”

Max didn’t know who he meant. He hoped he wouldn’t find out. He hoped Daniel would turn off the tap. Daniel leaned into him, wrapping his arms around him and Max sighed at the warmth. Daniel rubbed his chest in something akin to affection.

“How’re you feeling; clean?” He asked. Max barely shook his head. The sound and feeling of water deafening.

“Turn it off.” He whispered.

“Not yet, Max.” Daniel replied, running a thumb across his nipples, hard in the cold air. “You seem to be enjoying it.”

“No.” Max disagreed quietly.

“No?” Daniel smiled into the back of his neck. “Then why is this still paying attention?” He grasped Max’s cock, still half hard from earlier and from the odd sensation in his ass. Max tried to shake his head but Daniel rubbed his cock up and down a few times, leaving Max breathless and silent.

“See, Max?” Daniel told him. “You’re loving this. I knew you would.”

There was a long moment of all silence, all but for the sound of water running and splashing, Daniels breathing in his ear and the cuffs scraping against the bar overhead as Daniel stroked his cock back to life despite the situation.

“Do you know why I’m doing this, Max?” Daniel asked. Max wanted to shake his head, wanted to refuse to answer, but a spark of defiance lifted his head.

“Because you’re a fucking asshole?” Max suggested. Daniel chuckled.

“You already know this one, Max, I told you.”

Max shrugged as much as his position allowed, the effort of speaking further felt like too much as Daniel squeezed down on his cock.

“Answer me, Max.” Daniel warned evenly.

Max fought his lungs for space to speak between breathing.

“Because… You can do whatever you want?” Max tried.

“Close.” Daniel said, stroking hard a few times as if in reward. Max leaned backward into him a little, involuntarily jerking into his hand. “I spent five years in hell and came out stronger. Just for practicing my religion. And what did you do to end up here, Max?”

Max tried to remember.

“David stopped you.” He managed.

“David was an idiot.” Daniel replied.

“I… made him.” Max clarified.

“There you go. And for that crime I think my religion deserves some reparation, don’t you?”

“No.”

“Bad luck, Max.” Daniel said, letting him go and moving away. The water turned off a moment later. Then Daniel was back against Max’s spine. “No-one’s going to miss you.” Daniel assured him. “Your foster mother will probably assume you ran away, again. Your friends often don’t hear from you for long periods of time. You’ll just be another drop out that vanished.” Daniel went on and Max felt cold with the painful knowledge that, bar a few details, he was mostly right. “The cops won’t give a shit. The city will be glad it doesn’t have to pay for you anymore. Your teachers will be glad to be rid of you.” Daniel wrapped a hand around Max’s neck, pulling him against his chest firmly. Enough to make him struggle for air, but not enough to choke him out. His other hand worked up and down the teenagers’ cock again.

“So,” Daniel went on, “even society doesn’t give a fuck about you.” Max gasped around the hand on his throat, his eyes closed and the heat in his groin begging to cum. “By the time I’m done here,” Daniel moved in close, whispering into Max’s ear even as the teens ability to comprehend him was diminishing, “you’re going to be a well-trained little dog.” He promised. “Eventually, I’ll get bored of you, sure.” He added, Max’s concern taking a back seat to the desire to orgasm. His hips jerked even in the uncomfortable position, trying to get even more friction from the hand around his cock. “And when that time comes, I’ll give you to someone else."

"You’re never going home, Max.” Daniel promised, stroking hard, almost in anger. “You never get to give consent again. You don’t get the luxury of freedom.” Daniel pressed his face hard against Max’s ear, his voice raising.

“Because,” He snarled viciously as Max climaxed into his hand with a whimpered moan, “ _you stole it from_ _me_.” Daniel held his grip tight around Max as the teenagers body shuddered through the final stages of his orgasm. Not letting up even as Max managed to open his eyes and breathe around the hand on his throat.

“And fucking look at you.” Daniel went on, still speaking against his ear, Max could feel the movement of his lips. The man raised the hand from around Max’s cock and held the evidence of his climax in front of his face. “ _You fucking love it_.” He added. Max went to argue, though weakly, but Daniels hand was in his mouth before he got too far, pressing three fingers along his tongue until the boy almost gagged on them, unable to escape in any direction. The bitter, awful taste of his own seed sliding down his throat. He made a noise of surprised disgust.

“Clean my hand, Max.” Daniel ordered quietly. “I can organise this afternoon to go much, much worse.”

Max felt tears roll down his cheeks. From fear and from the sensation of having fingers shoved down his throat. He closed his eyes and, feeling his entire body shaking, sucked on Daniels fingers.

He felt the man smile against his neck. Max cleaned his fingers in silence, taking each of them in his mouth and licking them clean of his cum. He worked his tongue into the space between his fingers and down onto his palm.

Once his hand was clean Daniel release him and stepped away. Max felt numb, sore everywhere; but oddly… empty.

He didn’t have any options left.

As much as he hated himself for it… He needed to play Daniels game.

“Not so hard, is it, Max?” Daniel offered. “Now, let’s get you clean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This... got away from me, I'll be honest.   
> This is why I should have supervision. 
> 
> Hope you... like? it?


	9. Down the rabbit hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max starts to figure out what's happening around him.
> 
> This chapter isn't as graphic as others, but might be distressing to some. You can skip it if you want.
> 
> If you don't like public humiliation, water sports and degradation skip to my notes at the end, I'll include a TL;DR.

The afternoon was warm, at least. Of all the things that were fucked up in Max’s life right now; at least the weather was on his side. So, the fact that he was naked underneath the hooded cloak Daniel had thrown over him after scrubbing him down, gagging him and cuffing his hands behind him, didn’t mean he would freeze to death. He might starve to death, though; that currently felt like a legitimate concern. Though, not his first one. Max could feel his stomach protesting its lack of intake since last night. It had to be well after lunch by now. But Daniel had dragged him leash first downstairs and outside to where the people who’d been slowly arriving at the house had gathered. He didn’t get much of a chance to look at them all before Daniel had pulled him off to the side of the courtyard and made him stand on the grass. Then proceeded to stand almost directly in front of him as people approached to say hello. Or welcome back. Max tried not to pay attention.

His view was limited from underneath the hood and beyond Daniel, but he made the effort to glance around at the yard. Try to take in the fence line and find any opportunities to exploit. He wasn’t surprised to find nothing that would help him. They stood there for a while, Max had no way of telling how long. Everything felt like it was simultaneously dragging passed and like he was speeding down a highway, too fast to be in control. He was in the middle of hoping that the traffic moving onto the property might set alarm bells for any nearby neighbors when the general murmur and noise around him died off to a dull whisper.

He looked around, pointlessly, and saw nothing. He did hear the door to the backyard falling shut, and he did notice Daniel stop paying attention to the woman he was speaking to and stand a little straighter. Max, for some _strange_ reason, doubted this was a good sign. After a moment people started speaking again, moving back up towards the normal noise level again and Max was left totally confused. He could hear people greeting whoever had arrived, but could feel the atmosphere change. It was from relaxed and comfortable to nervous anticipation. The same kind of atmosphere his fathers friends would have when the stripper showed up.

He shook the memory from his mind, silently hoping that this _was_ a stripper or something and not anything cult related. He almost laughed at the idea of all of these white clad morons cheering for a stripper. He felt delirious, he realised, after letting the amusement die down. Someone approached Daniel, someone a little taller and bigger than the man. Max glanced up, but the hood was blocking his vision unless he shook it off. Which wasn’t something he wanted to do.

“Daniel, my son.” A voice said. “Welcome home.”

“Father.” Daniel replied. Max would have frowned had the gag not prevented him from making any meaningful mouth gestures. It sounded too formal of a way to greet an actual father… Shit. It _was_ a cult thing. Max rolled his eyes.

“I am glad to see you are recovering well from your trip to prison.” Father went on. He spoke slowly, as if trying to make himself clear. Max would have thought he’d have a deeper voice. “And thank you for volunteering to host this month’s meeting.”

“It was the least I could do, Father.” Daniel replied, sounding almost polite. Max cringed behind him.

“Nonsense, you have already done so much.” Father dismissed. “The bunks at the training house are full because of your hard work.” Daniel inclined his head in agreement, but otherwise stayed quiet. Max was getting hopeful that he might get through this entire interaction without being noticed.

“And another behind you?” Father added, sounding both hopeful and proud. Max tensed and watched Daniels shoulders as they moved through surprise. He shook his head.

“Not a recruit.” Daniel admitted.

“Daniel.” Father chuckled. “It isn’t like you to bring _entertainment_.”

“This is a special case.” Daniel admitted with a shrug. Max could feel attention around them shifting to him and he wished he had somewhere to hide.

“Tell me about them.” Father encouraged.

“Sixteen. Male.” Daniel complied instantly. “In and out of foster homes. Record of minor misdemeanors, trespassing, property destruction and theft.” There was a moment of silence and Max only had to wonder for a second where Daniel had gotten his juvenile record.

“And?” Father pressed. “What makes him so special?”

“Well,” Daniel started, taking a step to his left and standing next to Max, “he’s also the kid that essentially got me arrested.” He gripped Max’s shoulder through the cloak firmly.

Max stared at the man in front of him from under the hood of the cloak that was covering his nude body. He was a few inches taller than Daniel and it was enough that Max had to glance up to find his face. His eyes were a similar blue to Daniels. But that was where the resemblance ended. His hair was darker, greying at the roots. His skin was tanned and worn by the sun, as if he worked outdoors. He was broad and thick. As if he’d once been muscular but had aged and let his body go to seed. His stomach hung slightly over the top of his bright white jeans. He had a scar that ran from the corner of his mouth down towards his chin. The man smiled down at Max and the scar tissue tugged at his lip, making his already creepy smile lopsided and mirthless.

“Is he now?” Father said slowly, his smile growing a few teeth. Max glanced around at the small group of people watching on. Stephen was standing behind Father, smirking in amusement. “Well, then, let’s see him.”

Max jolted in surprise, not sure what that meant but entirely disliking it. He went to take a step backwards but Daniels grip stopped him. The cloak was pulled off his head and then tugged off his shoulders as Max growled behind the gag and tried to get away from Daniel. He was naked half a second later and Daniels hand fastened around the back of his neck and forced him straight. Standing in front of the cult leader wearing nothing but a leash and collar. Max felt a flush of heated shame crawl up his chest and into his face, biting down hard on the gag in a mix of frustrated anger and fear. Father chuckled at his struggling.

“Really is a teenager.” The man laughed, reaching out and gripping Max’s chin to draw his face upwards, forcing the teen to meet his gaze. “With a temper.”

“And bad language.” Stephen offered from behind Father. Max could see his passed the older man. He had changed out of his police uniform and into similar attire to everyone else; white shirt and pants.

“ _Kids_ these days.” Someone muttered and Max couldn’t think of a shittier thing to say right in this moment.

“Bad language?” Father smiled. He looked at Daniel. “Let’s hear it then.”

Max stilled, his throat almost closing up. He hated the gag. It hurt and he wanted to yell for help. But without it… He didn’t actually want to talk to these assholes. The gag loosened as Daniel fussed with the catch and then it was pulled from his mouth. Max immediately stretched his jaw, moving it out of stiffness, and swallowed down the spit in his mouth and tried to get rid of the silicone taste. Father still hadn’t let his face go, so he didn’t really have anywhere else to look. The man was smiling at the teenager and Max had no idea what to do. His tongue did, though.

“Let go of me, you old shit.” Max snarled. When in doubt; expletives and snide remarks. The cult leader chuckled and Max felt Daniels hand tighten around the back of his neck.

“I’m only forty eight.” The man pointed out. He spoke like it was said in good humour, but there was an underlying sense of threat. Max smiled despite the anxiety driving his harsh breaths.

He _loved_ pushing buttons.

“Like I give a fuck.” Max replied. “Older than my old man.”

The scarred side of the old mans smile dropped a little. The grip on Max’s face tightened to the point of pain. Max growled and tried to twist his face away.

“Not very polite.” Father noted quietly. “Who taught you manners?”

Max didn’t have a reply for that one, so Daniel answered for him.

“Probably his father. A degenerate. Spent time in jail for grand larceny and assault.” The man explained.

“Hmmm, the apple not too far from the tree then.” Father commented, looking at Max as if regarding a deformed dog that had just shit on his lawn. “What a shame.”

“Fuck you.” Max managed around the grip on his face. _That_ got a real smile out of the man.

“Careful what you wish for, boy.” He warned. He let Max’s face go and, with a nod to Daniel, Daniel let him go as well. Max shook his head to clear it a little, try to calm down his breathing, but had nowhere to really go with Daniel behind him and Stephen now stepping over to make sure he didn’t have another exit route.

“Got a name, boy?” Father asked. It struck Max as a familiar question. He glanced at Stephen out of instinct more than seeking guidance and back at the impatient old man. When he didn’t answer Father held out a hand and before Max really knew what to do with it Daniel had passed Father the leash.

That was all the warning he got. Father ran the leash through his hand, moving up towards Max’s neck as the boy leaned away, and then the teen was behind hauled forwards like a naughty dog. Dragged into Father’s belly by his neck and held so his head was straining up, toes barely on the ground, and leaning most of his weight into the man just to avoid being hung by the collar. He swore in pain and scrambled to find some footing.

“Name, boy?” Father warned. “I’m not going to ask again.” Max grimaced with pain and felt himself growl in anger.

“Max.” He managed.

“There you go.” Father said gently and then let go of the leash and shoved. Max tumbled backwards before he could find his feet and landed on the ground, only stopped from rolling by Daniels legs and a tug on the collar. “Not so hard, was it?”

Max could feel the air in his chest dying to get out, but he tried to control his breathing. He moved on the ground, not waiting for help and rolled to his knees. He took a second to catch his breath, to blink his eyes clear. Then he went to stand.

“Stay where you are.” Father ordered firmly. Max looked up at him, cringing at the view passed his belly and chin. He stayed on his knees, though, not liking the idea of behind forced back onto them.

“You’ll learn,” Father told him, “I don’t like repeating myself, Max. So, if I ask you a question, you’re going to answer it. Am I clear?”

Max shivered a little and told himself that it was the cool air against his naked body now that he was in the shade of the men around him. He looked at the grass, the leash hanging off it by a foot or so.

“Yes.” He said.

“Look at me when you speak, Max.” Father warned. “We really are going to have to teach you some manners.”

Max took a few deep, long breaths and followed the line of the leash to look up at the man, barely making eye contact.

“Yes.” He repeated.

“Yes, _what_?” Stephen pressed from next to him. Max blinked in confusion, not entirely sure what he wanted him to say. He didn’t have to be a genius like Neil to figure it out though.

Damn, he missed Neil right now. He’d give anything to hear him whining and Nikki shouting.

“Yes, sir.” Max said through his teeth. He heard Daniel _tsk_ behind him and stopped himself from looking around at him. Father shook his head gently. Max watched him move forward slightly and raise a foot. The teen leaned away and braced himself to be kicked in the chest.

Then there was a tug at his neck as Father slammed his boot down onto the leash and Max was dragged down involuntarily. His face collided with the toe of Fathers shined boot and held there by the tension the man was creating on the leash.

“ _Fucking…_ ” Max snarled and twisted his face slightly to free his nose from the leather and moved his knees back a little to stop the strain through his back and neck. It didn’t really help. The position was uncomfortable and he was only glad he was on the grass, not the concrete.

“You were right, Stephen.” Father commented. “ _Terrible_ language.”

“Yeah,” Stephen laughed, “shame Daniel couldn’t teach him any o’those manners, first.”

Max may have been struggling on the ground but he could practically feel heat from the glare that Daniel must have given Stephen.

“Some of us work for a living.” Daniel replied. “Aside from sitting in cars all day.”

It sounded like Stephen went to reply, but was cut off.

“Now, now, boys, no need for arguing.” Father chuckled gently. “Let’s focus here. Daniel, you said he was a runaway? So, no-one will miss him?”

“No-one important.” Daniel agreed.

Boy, were they wrong. Max really, really hoped they were wrong. He needed them to be wrong. He needed his friends and family to figure it out.

“Good, then we can take our time.” Father concluded. “Daniel, I’d like to see how profitable he might be, if you wouldn’t mind giving me a hand?”

“Of course, Father.” Daniel replied. Max had no idea what they meant but, as usual, that was probably a bad thing. A Very Bad Thing™.

“Excellent. Stephen?”

“Yeah, Father?” The cop replied.

“Can you demonstrate to Max _exactly_ the situation he’s in?”

Max really didn’t need a demonstration, and proclaimed as such, trying again to pull away from the boot under his face and snarling a few expletives at the men. All he got in reply was laughter and the sound of a zipper being pulled open.

“Steve…” Daniel sighed, sounding exasperated. Max had no idea what was happening until he felt warm liquid splash onto his lower back. Didn’t really understand until the liquid, running down the curve of his back and over his shoulder and off his ribs, was close enough for the smell to hit his nose. And he was frozen until he heard the sound of the zipper above him over the crowded laughter. Until he felt the second impact point in the middle of his back...

_They were pissing on him._

“ _No!_ ” He snarled, struggling to move away, trying to stand without rolling onto his back because _that would be even worse_. He twisted his head to stop the fluid from hitting his chin and cheeks and he squeezed his eyes and mouth closed against the risk of getting in his face.

It felt like it dragged on, but Max knew it was really only thirty seconds at best, until they stopped, stepping back a little and Max felt the tension ease on his neck.

He sat back on his feet, upright and breathing hard, staring at the ground and blinking his vision free of tears. _Again_.

“Hose him off, Daniel.” Father said, Max felt the leash moving around him. “I’ll meet you upstairs.”

“Won’t be long, Father.” Daniel agreed. The small crowd broke up around them and Max was very suddenly no longer the point of attention. In fact none of them seemed to give a shit about him.

Well. They had made _that_ much incredibly clear. He stank of urine and the air cooled it against his skin. He could hear talking around him, but didn’t pay it any attention.

He had really thought help would get here by now.

The hose struck him from the back and the water was _freezing_. He curled away from it, but didn’t dare stand. Max wasn’t even sure he had the strength in his legs. It didn’t take long, and by the time the water was off and Daniel was hauling him to his feet and dragging him inside Max was drenched. He had to shake the hair and water out of his eyes.

At least it wasn’t piss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry. This really got away from me. I mean, one second I was thinking another chapter and I'd be good and then the words attacked.
> 
> I'm sorry.
> 
> TL;DR  
> \- Max attends a cult meeting (in a collar with leash and hands cuffed behind him)  
> \- Meets the Cult leader who they call Father (no relation)  
> \- Everyone is an awful human being (Everyone)  
> \- They go inside after a little smack talk.


	10. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're nearly there, people. Good news all around. 
> 
> Except for Max, of course, who suffers even more nonsense at the hands of Daniel.

Daniel toweled him off quickly, mostly focusing on his mop of wet hair, before they went passed the bathroom from earlier and into a bedroom. Father was already there, shirt off and hanging over a chair neatly, his pants in his hands being folded. The old man was left in his boxer briefs that Max didn’t spend too much of his time looking at.

Daniel pulled Max, despite his struggles and snarls to stop, over to the bed and shoved him onto it. He landed on his hands, still cuffed behind him and grimaced at the pain in his shoulders and spine.

“He doesn’t look very excited about this.” Father noted, pulling his chair closer to the bed and taking a seat. Daniel shrugged and pulled off his own shirt.

“He’s a teenager.” The man pointed out. “He’s not difficult to arouse.”

Father laughed and lifted a hand that said ‘well, by all means’. Daniel nodded and Max tried to push himself across the bed to get away before Daniel climbed up after him and placed himself between Max’s legs. Max realised he was shaking, otherwise frozen on the bed and Daniel leaned down him and kissed him on the mouth. Max didn’t respond at all, at first it was chased. But when Daniel tried to push through his lips with his tongue Max flinched sideways in protest. Daniel laughed quietly in his ear and instead pressed his lips into his neck.

The man started sucking and biting gently down his neck and towards his collar bone and if he had been Bethany or Neil or literally anyone else it would have felt good. What the fuck did Max’s brain know, though, because his body responded like it was an obedient dog. He felt his dick get hard as sensation tingled across his skin. Max stared resolutely at the headboard and tried to ignore the situation entirely.

Daniel’s hands pressed into his chest, digging in like this was a massage instead of sexual assault. His fingers ran along his ribs until one hand found a nipple and, moving to press his head firmly down with his forehead, squeezed it firmly. Max clenched his teeth and let out a firm breath through his nose. Then Daniels head was gone, his whole body lifting slightly and moving down. Max didn’t look. He felt it soon enough. Daniels tongue ran across his nipple and then move to suck and bite at it. The teenager on the bed tried to twist away, tried to make him stop. But not very hard.

Daniel pushed his hand under Max’s back and lifted slightly, Max making a noise of surprise, and hauled him further onto the bed. Presumably because Daniel then decided to move entirely between his legs and Max closed his eyes when the mans hand found his mostly hard cock.

“See?” Daniel said, pressing his thumb slowly up and down the underside of Max’s shaft. “Teenagers.”

“You were a teenager once, too, Daniel.” Father pointed out quietly. Max felt, more than heard, Daniels huff off amused disagreement.

“I was never this thirsty.” He replied, and Max made a strangled noise of a moan as Daniels mouth pressed down over his cock. Daniel sucked him down, the other mans throat hot and tight around his cock as Max felt him swallow around him. He felt his back arch off his cuffed hands and he bit back a sound of approval. Max wasn’t paying attention to much of anything except trying to keep his eyes closed and himself silenced. So, he didn’t notice Daniel opening something until he felt lubricated fingers at his entrance. Daniel didn’t bother warming him up this time around, he pressed two fingers inside him and the force of his blow job slowed as he pressed in and out of Max firmly.

“Stop.” Max whispered. There was a laugh next to him and Max glanced at it, having entirely forgotten about the older cultist in the room. He was sitting only a meter or two away, palming himself though his boxer briefs, a contented smile on his face. Max looked away again as quickly as possible. Not in any way connected with the moan he let escape as he pressed his hips upward, struggling to get footing on the mattress to do so. Daniel pulled back a little more, pressing a third finger inside him and fucking into him hard with his hand.

Max growled through his teeth, feeling the need for release building in his abdomen, just as strong as it had felt barely over an hour ago. Maybe Daniel was right. Maybe he loved this. He shook his head, his eyes closed, and tried to stop his back from arching under him. Daniel was already fucking him over enough, Max didn’t need the mind-fuck as well. He pushed the doubt away.

_Not his fault._

He felt the urge to come rising through his groin and Daniel pulled his mouth away, slowed his hand down and worked his free fist gently up Max’s cock. His thumb wiping at the pre-cum leaking from him.

_This was not his fault._

Just like it wasn’t his fault his father had been a piece of shit. A thief and a drunk who’d screamed their mother out of the house before trying to beat Max out the same way. It wasn’t his fault that his mother had left him behind on her escape out of his house. It wasn’t his fault his dads friends were even worse pieces of human filth and had taken every advantage they could find to tease, humiliate and hurt Max. It wasn’t his fault that he wasn’t well adjusted enough to suit most foster parents. It wasn't his fault he was defensive and angry because no-one had cared about him until he'd met his stupid friends...

Max made a noise in the back of his throat and stopped himself from cumming, suddenly furious with this whole situation. He twisted, hooking his heel into Daniels hip and shoved, hard, separating them enough. Daniel looked annoyed as Max worked his way backwards. Then he kicked the man in the face as he tried to get to the far edge of the bed. Daniel swore and scrambled after him, gripping his ankle before he’d gotten away and yanked him back towards him. His lip was bleeding.

“What’s wrong, Max?” He asked, pulling him back into the middle of the bed. He flicked Max’s leg over and with what felt like a small amount of effort, flipped the teen onto his stomach. “Not feeling good?” Max tried to twist away, a knee in his spine stopping him from moving. Then he stopped, feeling hands at the cuffs, unlocking them and, a few seconds later, freeing them. Max pressed his free hands into the bed, ready to move when he was let up.

“Now, Max.” Daniel said, the weight on his back shifting slightly as the man leaned down to speak closer to his head. “That’s no way to behave. Remember those manners we were discussing? Not nice to kick someone trying to make you come, is it?”

Max didn’t reply, staring at the bed trying to think of a way out of this.

“So, here’s what I’ll do for you.” Daniel went on. “You can get yourself off.”

“No.” Max replied quietly.

“I’m not giving you any other options, Max.” Daniel admitted, tugging on the leash still attached to his collar. “Knees up.” He tapped his ass and Max ground his teeth, squeezing his eyes closed again.

He pulled his knees up under him as Daniel lifted his weight off his back. So his ass was up off the bed and exposed, pressure from Daniels hand stopping him from getting up on all fours.

“Good boy.” The man said. “Stay.” His weight left the bed for a moment. Max didn’t dare move, ashamed at his half-hearted attempt at getting away. At the sudden coil of fear in his bones. Daniel's weight was back a second later, and Max jolted in surprise when he felt something behind him. He frowned, the position wrong for Daniel to be kneeling there.

“There you go, Max.” Daniel told him, his hand reaching forward to rest on his hip as his weight settled next to him. “Take what you need.” He pressed what must be a dildo against his anus pointedly and then left it there.

Part of Max wanted to take the opportunity to get up and run. Part of him knew that Daniel had a hold on the leash. Part of him really wanted to cum. And a part of him really wanted to feel the dildo inside him. And all together the parts just hated Daniel. And this fucking cult. He took a deep breath and pressed backwards, adjusting his arms a little to give him purchase.

He let out a sigh as the head of the silicone cock slipped inside him and he paused, trying to adjust to the size. He let himself breath through the discomfort. Trying to relax before he pressed himself back further against the resistance that Daniel provided. Coils of pleasure accompanied the sensation of being filled as Max pressed back until he felt like he couldn’t get any further.

Daniel had told him to get himself off, so Max twisted a little, pressing a shoulder into the bed as he reached under himself. He fisted a hand around his own cock and groaned into the mattress. He pulled his hips forward, pumping on his cock, starting to slick with the lubricant dripping down from his ass and the pre-cum messing into this mix. He fucked himself back onto the dildo, knowing full well that Daniel was probably smugly smiling. He ignored them. He ignored the world. He felt like he was at the wrong angle slightly, flattening his chest and curving his hips to increase the pressure of the dildo inside him. He pumped his hand faster, unable to move his hips as easily as he wanted to right now. He let out a noise he wasn’t particularly proud of and he felt Daniel move slightly.

The dildo was sliding out of him until Daniel shoved firmly, pressing it even deeper than Max had managed to get it, eliciting a strangled expletive out of the teens throat. Partly in surprise, partly in thanks. He squeezed down on himself he felt Daniel let go of the toy and the silicone started to press and slide out of him. Max pumped his cock hard for a few seconds and muttered out a few more swear words as he came onto the bed.

Max shuddered on the bed as the sensation of the cock toy in his ass kept sliding out of his hole until gravity pulled on it and it was released with a soft _pop_ and landed on the bed.

“See, Max?” Daniel asked, fingers carding through Max’s dark hair. “You fucking love this.”

“Language, Daniel.” Father chided gently.

“Sorry, Father.” Daniel said, pulling Max up onto his knees by his hair. He started to undo the collar from his neck. “One last chance to impress Father, Max.” He told him, the collar landing on the pillows next to them. “We’re going to stand up and you can show Father what else your mouth is good for.”

Max didn’t have a reply as they moved backwards off the bed, the floor tilting wildly under him and Max had to use Daniels had to steady himself. Then they were in front of the older cultist and Daniel encouraged Max to his knees. At some point the man had shucked his briefs and was now sitting in the wooden, heavy looking chair with his cock out, sitting at attention in a small nest of greying pubic hair.

Max looked up slightly when he heard the sound of tires over gravel, concerned that it was more of these assholes. Daniel redirected his attention back to the man and shoved him forwards a little. Max focused, using his hands to steady himself between the mans legs, grasping his cock and leaning forwards.

_Crash_

Max froze.

The noise downstairs had changed and the two men in the room stilled around him, staring at the door like it held answers. Yelling and screaming followed the unmistakable noise of a door being kicked in, the sound of wood crunching and pulling off hinges and slamming into the floor. Breaking glass and swearing from the guests downstairs as the storming of boots echoed up through the house.

Max almost cried in relief.

A hand in his hair tore him backwards, pulling him off Father’s old cock and tossing him to the floor. Daniel loomed over him, looking both livid and terrified. Max, startled, scrambled backwards until he hit the wall. Daniel followed him.  
Father stood off the chair and moved to his pants so fast that he stumbled on the way.

“ _What did you do, you fucking shit?_ ” Daniel snarled at him, flicking open the knife suddenly in his hand, barely audible over the chaos downstairs. Max, feeling _finally_ brave enough to speak, smiled as much as he could manage.

“Find my phone _, dickhead_.” He replied. Daniel’s snarl faltered briefly.

“They took your phone,” he growled, leaning down and grabbing a handful of Max’s hair again, “I made sure of it.” He added, pulling Max awkwardly to his feet as, behind him, Father struggled into his pants.

“No.” Max grimaced. “They took my _old_ phone.” Max admitted through his teeth. “ _My_ phone is in the downstairs bathroom.”

Silence in the room for a second, Daniel stared at him in furious disbelief. The quiet was jarringly broken as Father tipped the chair over and kicked off one of the legs. Daniel spun his head to look at the man, shoving Max into the wall and pinning him there. The old man held the chair leg like he was weighing it and moved to stand in front of the door in the opposite corner of the room.

“Father, wai-”

"I'm not a coward, Daniel, I won't be taken alive!"

It happened in less than seconds. The door opened suddenly, Daniels grip slacked in surprise, and Father raised his chair leg over his head and screamed something at the top of his voice and broke into a run at the incoming SWAT team.

The sound of gunfire was deafening. A short burst of painfully loud noise and Father staggered to a halt as the team of heavily armed people paused at the entryway to the room. Max watched blood splatter onto the floor and wall behind the cult leader as his teenage heart stopped in shock. The old man slumped to the ground, blood on the floor under him growing into a puddle, and a ringing, shocked silence in his wake.

“Father!” Daniel said, voice breaking over the word. The man quickly collected himself, though, as the team advanced inside. Max was hauled off the wall and Daniel pulled him into his chest, pressing the knife blade into his throat, spinning to face the team with SWAT emblazoned across their chest. Max snarled in pain and surprise, jarred to a stop at the threat of the knife digging even deeper. He felt frozen, his breath shaking in and out in short bursts, even as he felt Daniels chest heaving behind him in fear.

“No.” He muttered, trying weakly to pull the hand holding the knife away.

“Put the weapon down.” A firm, steady, female voice ordered. The police fanned out around the room, covering them, moving in slow, deliberate actions.

“No.” Daniel replied, voice nowhere near as steady. “I’m walking out of here. And if you try to stop me, I’m going to slice his carotid open.” Daniel promised, Max increasing his struggling at the suggestion. “Where’s the nearest hospital again?” Daniel pressed mockingly. “An hour and a half away?”

The nearest SWAT member's lips firmed under her visor.

“You’re not leaving unless you put the knife down and let the kid go.” She promised. “Otherwise you’re coming in a body bag.”

“Who the fuck taught you to negotiate?” Daniel asked, forcing a half-hearted laugh.

“This isn’t a negotiation.” The cop assured him. “Drop the weapon and let him go. Or my man to your left is going to put a bullet through your temple.”

“C’mon, man.” The aforementioned cop whined. “Save me the paperwork and psych eval.”

The barest of head tilts from the team leader made him look slightly guilty under the visor.

Daniel looked around the room at the team, Max could feel him shaking, still trying to lean as far as he could away from the knife, his toes on the floor desperately trying to keep his balance.

“If I let him go…” Daniel said quietly. “You have to arrest me.”

“Correct.” Team leader said. “We will apprehend you with as little force as possible.”

“You literally shot Father.” Daniel pointed out to her. The woman half glanced at the body on the floor as if to confirm, yes, they had shot someone.

“He was attacking an armed officer with a weapon.” She replied. “Unless you give us a reason, we will not shoot you.”

Max really wanted Daniel to let him go.

He really wanted the guy to his left to shoot him in the temple.

“I’m dropping the knife.” Daniel said clearly, carefully.

“Understood, drop it to your right.” The team leader nodded. The point of the knife relaxed away from Max’s neck and Max felt like air was allowed back into his lungs again.

“Now, let the kid go.” She ordered. “Kid, take a few steps to the left, okay?”

Max nodded furiously.

Daniel, with a growl of regret, allowed Max to move away. Max found his feet and took several shaking steps toward the officer to his left.

“Hands on your head.” The woman added. “On your knees.” She kept giving Daniel clear, concise instructions as the man lay face first on the floor. Then they moved in to clasp his wrists in cuffs. Max couldn’t take any more steps, he stopped, staring as Daniel was arrested.

 _Finally_.

Max reached for the wall, running his fingers along it until he found himself on his knees, staring at the carpet. He knew there was motion in the room, but didn’t know what to do about it.

Then there were armoured knees in front of him and Max glanced up to find one of the SWAT team kneeling in front of him. He flinched backwards, making the officer raise his hands a little bit. He made a show of taking off his helmet.

Max remembered he was naked. He moved to cover up.

“Max, right?” The man asked, fiddling with something on his belt. Max nodded. “Your friend called us.” There was a crinkling sound and the man spread a foil blanket over his knees and let Max pull it around himself. It was cool at first, but quickly warmed to his skin. “You’re a smart kid.” The man added.

Max wrapped himself tight in the space blanket and leaned down so he couldn’t see anything but floor. He couldn’t do this. He was suddenly aware of every pain in his body. His neck ached, his wrists hurt, the bottom of his feet stung like hell, his cheek and jaw ached, his head was pounding.

He was starving.

He was exhausted.

He didn’t have enough air. He felt his whole body heat up, felt hard pressure behind his face and hot tears in his eyes.

“Max?” The man pressed gently over the sound of his team working. “Are you hurt?”

Max tried to answer, opened his mouth to explain, but all that came out was a weak, dry sob. Then it was all over. He was crying into his knees, half formed breaths wracking his chest and mind blank apart from the utter sense of shame and helplessness.

He felt a hand hover over his shoulder before gripping tightly and gently. Max took a deep breath and look up at the man. He wasn’t smiling. He looked on the verge of tears himself, like he was resisting the urge to hug Max close. But his expression was sure and solid and real.

And when he spoke his voice was firm and assuring.

“You’re safe, Max.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? He's... well probably not OK, but he's safe!   
> Hopefully the American health system will be able to provide him some low cost therapy and hospital care so Dianne doesn't go bankrupt!  
> Also: I don't really know how police work.
> 
> Epilogue for some feels, anyone?
> 
> Srsly tho, sorry if this feels rushed, it was written in pieces and was hard to find the rhythm. Let me know what you think!


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feels!

They found him his clothes and told him his phone was evidence. They assured him the deleted messages weren’t as deleted as he would have liked.

A lady in a blue windbreaker labelled CPS arrived after a while and tried to dismiss James, the SWAT officer, brusquely. Max had gripped the officers vest firmly and shaken his head at her. James stayed with him while the lady talked him through what was happening. They had to wait until all of the people had been taken out of the house before they were allowed to leave. She slowly walked him outside and let him wait on the steps of the house while the vehicles containing arrested people started to peel off.

He didn’t really speak to her. He let her speak at him instead. He didn’t like her, he decided after a while, but she was trying to do her job. She said they wouldn’t be able to get a statement until Dianne was here as his guardian.

A paramedic arrived after a while and came over to speak to him, Max told the man he was fine. The paramedic had looked doubtful and Max had clarified that there was nothing pressing. He didn’t want to talk about it here. He didn’t really want anyone to know.

He knew someone would have to eventually. He hated it.

The sound of a familiar engine followed a cop car up the long drive and Max was on his feet a second later, cringing from the pain.

“Max, the gravel.” James reminded him gently as he went to run across the stones. He stopped. “Let them come to you, okay?” The man added gently.

The CPS woman walked across the drive as Neil’s car stopped just beyond the ambulance.

Max nearly started crying again as his friends and Dianne spilled out of the car. Dianne was immediately sequestered by the CPS officer and Neil almost physically launched himself at Max and wrapped him up so tight Max staggered backwards. Nikki wrapped her strong arms around both of them.

Max returned Neils hug begrudgingly, ignoring the pain under the weight of his friends. He realised after a moment that Neil was crying.

“Neil…”

“You’re an _asshole_.” Neil sputtered into his shoulder. “Why the fuck didn’t you just tell me what was going on? Why all the stupid code and shit I had to decipher?”

“You love codes.” Max said weakly, quietly.

“Not like this, Max.” Neil shook his head.

“He’s right.” Nikki was slightly muffled by Max’s shoulder. “You’re a dick. You should have trusted us. _Both_ of us.”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt.” Max said, knowing how stupid it sounded now, letting his voice drop to almost as whisper. “I’m sorry.”

Neil, if possible, hugged him even tighter.

“Max!” Dianne had escaped and jogged over, her makeup already streaky and ruined. She peeled Nikki off and, unable to remove Neil, took the girls place hugging him from behind.

“I’m sorry, Max.” She whispered. Max blinked, confused, but didn’t get the chance to ask before Dianne was sobbing into his shoulder. Apologising for everything under the sun.

“You deserve so much better, Max.” She said through tears. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t press you about the fight. I’m sorry I didn’t check on you this morning. I’m sorry I’m such a bad mother. I’m so sorry… that I let this happen… Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” She breathed, her weight pressing down on the teenager. “Please don’t ever disappear again. Oh… I thought I’d never see you again. Max… I’m sorry…” Her words became indecipherable through tears and Max blinked away his own tears

Max managed to separate from Neil after a moment and twisted around and hugged Dianne firmly. Other than once previously they had never really hugged.

Dianne started crying harder.

“It’s not your fault, Dianne.” Max told her. “And you’re the best foster mom I’ve ever had… Can we go home now?” Max asked, fighting his own emotions.

“Yes, Max. Of course.” Dianne breathed. Neil latched on again from behind him. Nikki somehow hugged all of them. They breathed in relief together and for a moment, Max felt warm and safe and comfortable.

“Actually, you have to go to the hospital.” James told them awkwardly. “You’ll be there a few days. Statements and all that sort of thing.”

Nikki glared at him.

“Just saying.” The man shrugged innocently.

“It doesn’t matter.” Max said, letting himself feel the relief. “It’s over.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was a hard one to get through, people, so thank you for joining me on this rather conflicting journey. 
> 
> I'd love to read any reviews or feedback you have, or answer any questions that arose but were never answered. 
> 
> This work is far from my first one, but it's the first one I've posted anywhere. Your response has been pretty cool I must say. And I plan on continuing to release work as my schedule allows. There will be more Camp Camp in the future, but I can't really say when. 
> 
> You're all the best!


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